A Guide to Understanding Atlanta Car Accident Reports

A Car Accident Report Has Necessary Information for Your Claim

A car accident report filled out by the reporting officer contains accident details that are crucial for the insurance company to determine fault and make decisions regarding reimbursement. Plus, you may need additional financial compensation for the following:

• Medical bills and rehabilitation expenses
• Current and future lost income
• Damages for pain and possible disfigurement
• Damages for trauma

Although they aren’t admissible as evidence, police reports document accident details, such as the condition and locations of the vehicles, primary contact information, insurance information, witnesses, and what the officer’s findings were. The easiest way to accomplish this is to have a law enforcement officer responding to the accident do it.

Filling Out an Atlanta Auto Accident Report

If the Atlanta Police Department or Georgia State Highway Patrol didn’t respond to the accident, you might need to file an accident report personally. Whether it is because a hit-and-run driver damaged your parked vehicle or you were involved in a minor accident with less than $500 of property damage, your insurance company might require one.

The reporting process requires you to fill out an online report form on Georgia’s Department of Driver Services website. Include the following:

• Date, time, and location of the accident
• Description of the crash and any damaged property
• Drivers’ and witnesses’ contact information
• Information about the vehicles like vehicle identification number
• Insurance information
• List of bodily injuries
• Signatures

In some cases, you might need to submit supporting documents to the police report form. This will help you build a case if you file a lawsuit. Contact a law office that handles legal actions in DeKalb County, Fulton County, and Gwinnett County to begin the process.

Information That Is Found on a Car Accident Report

There are 21 categories on an accident report in Georgia. These include identification of the parties and the vehicles involved, road conditions, what direction vehicles were traveling, whether cars or people were injured, and the point of impact for the accident. Each of these categories is considered among the contributing circumstances to the accident. Your case may not fit all categories. Here are some common examples:

Toxicology

If the driver is found with a BAC of 0.08% or tests positive for drugs, the officer can note the results and what was tested to obtain the positive test, such as the driver’s blood or urine. A positive drug or alcohol test can also result in civil liability.

Insurance Information

It is important to exchange insurance information with the other drivers involved in the accident. Obtaining the correct information regarding insurance companies is necessary to file a claim.

If you hire an Atlanta auto accident lawyer, they can send the insurance companies a letter demanding payment known as a 33-3-28 letter. A lawyer experienced with auto accidents can also centrally help you negotiate with insurance companies and any insurance adjuster to obtain a fair settlement.

Obstructions

This section of the accident report details whether a driver had obscured vision at the time of the accident and what blocked the person’s view. Examples include a parked car and poor weather conditions like heavy rain. The investigating police officer may need to conduct further investigations after the accident to determine whether the driver’s vision was impaired.

Maneuvers

One of the parties may be liable if this section shows whether the movement or lack of movement of one of the vehicles contributed to the accident at the time of impact.

Contributing Factors

Some of the 42 possible causes of an accident listed in a Georgia accident report include:

• Speeding
• Distracted driving like talking on a cell phone or eating while driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or prescription medication
• Road defects that can cause the vehicle to lose control
• Mechanical problems like brake failure

Car Speed

Listed here are the size and speed of the car at the time of the accident and the area’s speed limit. This can help determine if a driver was traveling at an unsafe speed at the time of the accident.

Road Defects

If the police officer suspects road conditions contributed to the accident, they may mention water, sand, a slick surface, or holes. This section of the accident report may also note if the road was curvy or straight.

Automobile Damage

Unfairly, the severity of an injury is often based on property damage. The damage to the vehicle and the people in the vehicle can often be drastically different.

The officer makes an objective judgment to determine the category of damage. These are:

1. No damage
2. Minor damage
3. Functional damage
4. Disabling damage

If you are injured in an accident, a qualified car or Uber attorney in Atlanta can help you explain your injuries and how the accident occurred.

Pictorial Diagram

The pictorial diagram on the accident report page depicts what the investigating officer believes happened, not necessarily what actually occurred.

In the event of an accident, write down the contact information of witnesses. They may be able to provide valuable testimony in the future.