How to Get a Car Accident Report in Ruston

If you were recently in a car accident in Ruston, obtaining the official accident report from the local police is an important part of determining how to proceed with your case. Having direct access to this official filing of the incident facts can be beneficial whether filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit.

For residents in and around Ruston involved in a motor vehicle accident, understanding how to get a copy of your car accident report is valuable. The first step is identifying which agency took the original report, likely the Ruston Police Department.

You do not have to order your report yourself if you’re too injured or don’t have the information to get the report. Our car accident lawyers in Ruston at Laborde Earles can get the report on your behalf if we believe your claim has merit without it.

Contacting the Ruston Police for Your Car Accident Report

Without a record from the police, it can be hard for your personal injury attorney in Ruston to prove to the insurers that you were in a crash. The best way to order an accident report from any jurisdiction in Louisiana is through the LexisNexis BuyCrash system.

You can also contact the Ruston Police Department directly by calling 318-255-4141 and asking for the records department. You can go in person by going to 401 North Trenton Street in Ruston during normal business hours.

To get your report, you’ll need your report number, the date of the accident and the last name of a victim in it, or the last name and where the accident happened. You will also need to pay a small fee, usually by card or by money order.

When Can I Request the Report?

It will depend on the complexity of your accident. A good initial time to wait is 48 hours after the accident. If the officer gives you a different estimate at the scene, use that one. While you wait for the report, get a medical examination and follow your doctor’s orders.

If you were taken directly to the hospital, the police may reach out to you to finish their report. If you’re awake and alert but haven’t spoken to the police yet, call the Ruston police department on the non-emergency number to give your report.

What Is in a Car Accident Report?

A car accident report is a documented account of the crash, completed at the scene by responding law enforcement, that gathers evidence about circumstances surrounding the collision. Some of the details include:

• Any citations given by the officer
• Information on injuries and car damage
• The people involved and their report of what happened
• The vehicles involved
• When and where it occurred
• Any complicating factors like poor weather or road conditions
• The officer’s opinion of what happened

Your lawyer and the insurance company will use the report as a basis for their cases, but sometimes this information is incorrect or incomplete. It can be hard to challenge an officer’s opinion on your own, but a lawyer from Laborde Earles can push back on claims in the report if something is wrong.

What Should I Do if the Report Is Wrong?

If the report has something incorrect in it, don’t panic. Officers can make mistakes and omissions. If you can prove that there is a mistake, you can politely call the police at the non-emergency number and request a correction.

However, if you disagree with the officer’s conclusions then you will need the help of a lawyer to straighten things out. They may not be able to change the officer’s mind, but they could find additional evidence to counter the officer’s claims and cast doubt on their conclusions.

This all depends on the facts of the case though. If you believe your car accident report is wrong, it’s best to start working with a lawyer immediately so they can start preserving evidence that may prove your side of the story.

Get Your Car Accident Report in Ruston

If you need to get a car accident report after your wreck, it’s fairly straightforward. First, check the BuyCrash system or contact the Ruston police department to see if the report is ready. If it is, you can buy it from them for a small fee.

If there are errors in the report, you can reach out to the police to correct factual errors or contact a lawyer from Laborde Earles for advice on how to counter an opinion in the report that you feel is wrong. Having the report will also help a lawyer know the strengths and weaknesses of your claim.

Finally, if you haven’t spoken to the police yet, the report will be incomplete. You can contact the police to give a statement about what happened, but you may wish to speak with a lawyer first so they can prepare you in advance.