How to Get a Car Accident Report in Bossier City
Obtaining a copy of the official police report from your car accident is an important first step after being involved in a crash in Bossier City. It is helpful to have this factual accounting of your car accident when you speak with a car accident lawyer in Bossier City from Laborde Earles.
Knowing the process for requesting a copy of this essential record is valuable for vehicle owners in Bossier City who were just involved in a crash. The first step is determining which law enforcement agency handled the accident report. Here’s how to get it if you live in Bossier City.
You do not have to get your report yourself. Our attorneys can request the report on your behalf if you are too injured or don’t know the necessary information to get it. However, having it in advance will help us judge the strength of your case.
Who do I Contact to Get My Car Accident Report?
Our personal injury lawyers in Bossier City get car accident reports on behalf of clients, but here’s how to do it yourself. The easiest way to get your report is to use the Accident Reports link from the Bossier City website.
Select Louisiana as the state, then “Bossier City Police Department” for the jurisdiction. Then you’ll need to input information to get the report, either:
- The report number, if you have it
- Your last name and the date of the crash
- Your last name and the street where the crash happened
An accident report through this system costs $20 via card. You can also go in person to the Records Division of the Bossier City Police Department at 620 Benton Road from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. You can pay by credit, debit, money order, or business check.
If you wish to obtain your report by mail, you’ll need to contact:
Records Division
Bossier City Police Department
P.O. Box 6216
Bossier City, Louisiana 71171-6216
Mailed requests must include:
- Your address, fax number, or email address
- Date of the accident
- Name of the victim
- Location of accident
- A money order in the amount of $20 made payable to the Bossier City Police Department
When Can I Request the Report?
It will take the reporting officer some time to make the report. Assuming all parties stayed at the scene and could give statements, it may take about 48 hours for the report to be created. In the meantime, you should see a doctor to get a medical examination.
If you can’t give the police a statement until later because of your injuries, contact the police as soon as you can after you can hold a conversation. After that, wait a few days for them to finish the report. You can use the online system linked above to see if the report is ready or not.
What Is in a Car Accident Report?
A car accident report contains evidence gathered at the scene of the crash and the reporting officer’s opinion about what happened. Insurance companies and lawyers use this information to start constructing a case. The report includes information like:
- When and where the accident happened
- Weather and road conditions that may have contributed to the accident
- Vehicle details and information about the damage to the vehicles
- Who was in the crash, and their report of what happened
- Any injuries the officer observed
- Any citations given by the officer for broken laws
- The officer’s opinion of what happened and who might be responsible
This information can prove you were involved in an accident and who we need to target for a lawsuit. However, sometimes the information in the report may be incomplete or inaccurate. A car accident attorney from Laborde Earles can question the officer to get more information or challenge wrong information.
What Should I Do if There Is Wrong Information in the Report?
It depends on the nature of the information. If it is factual information that you can prove, you can politely call the police department and tell them about what needs to change. They can amend the report if they agree.
However, subjective information by the officer will be much more difficult to correct. If you feel the officer came to the wrong conclusions, then it’s time to speak with a car accident lawyer in Bossier City immediately like the team at Laborde Earles.
We can speak with the police on your behalf about their conclusions and why they came to them. If we can find evidence that counters that conclusion, it may be possible to get the report changed or we can use it to counter claims by the insurers based on the incorrect report.
Do I Need to Get the Car Accident Report Myself?
You do not have to get the report if you do not wish to. If a lawyer decides to take your case, then they will pull the report for evidence themselves. However, there are advantages to pulling it in advance before speaking with a lawyer.
First, it will help your lawyer conclude much faster about whether you have a case, or help them explain why your case may not be worth fighting. While reports can be challenged, they carry a lot of weight in negotiations.
Second, you can point out errors and omissions in the report to the lawyer. That gives them a direction for further investigation and could help them with how they build their case before talking with the insurance company.
Getting a Car Accident Report in Bossier City
Getting your car accident report after a Bossier City accident is fairly straightforward. First, give the officer enough time to finish the report. Then use the Accident Reports link on this page to go to the BuyCrash system and order the report.
If you have not spoken to the police yet, you will need to do that first so your statement can get into the report. Since your statement will become evidence, you may wish to speak with a lawyer before giving your statement.
Finally, if you’d prefer not to get the report yourself, you can reach out to Laborde Earles for a consultation about your situation. We will get a copy of the report ourselves if we decide to take your case and you accept.
