When you file an insurance claim with the other driver’s insurance company, they will have a claims adjuster contact you to obtain your statement. Even if the accident report clearly shows that the other driver was negligent, the insurance company will still conduct an investigation.

Crash reports contain the responding police officer’s opinion regarding who they believe was at fault for the accident, however, an insurance company doesn’t just hand money over. They will do everything they can to avoid paying accident victims the compensation they deserve. But if your case ends up in court, a jury often believes the opinion of the responding officer over the insurance company.

Without an accident report, the at-fault driver’s insurance company may question whether the collision happened at all. Having a police officer respond to the scene of the accident to make an official report provides written proof that the accident occurred.

Most auto accident reports will include a description of the accident, a diagram of where each car was located, and the officer’s opinion concerning who or what was responsible.

In a minor auto accident, most people simply exchange information and work it out on their own. But what happens if you’ve exchanged information with the other driver and you don’t hear back from them? How do you know for certain who was driving the vehicle? How can you prove what happened?

Collision reports include vital information regarding police officers, drivers, passengers, and witnesses involved so that you can follow up on your insurance claim. It also provides contact information so you can be sure the insurance claim is filed against the correct person.

An insurance adjuster will place great value on an accident report and the police officer’s observations when they evaluate your claim. The information in the police report can be used to convince the insurance adjuster of the other driver’s negligence, which will make it more likely that you will receive a favorable settlement.

A crash report can provide your attorney with information that may lead to other helpful evidence, such as other potentially liable parties or additional witnesses. The report can also help an accident reconstruction expert to reenact the sequence of events.

If your case goes to trial, the responding law enforcement officer may need to testify in court. The police officer’s testimony as to their conclusions and observations could go a long way in swaying the judge and jury in your favor. Since police officers handle dozens of auto accidents a month, the officer will rely on the report to recall the events and details of the accident.