Accident Report

It’s possible that you’ve heard that police reports cannot be used as evidence in court. In general, this is accurate. Accident reports are not permitted to be presented before a judge or jury because they are considered “hearsay,” which means the officer wasn’t present when the collision occurred. Your accident report will still help your personal injury claim.

The police officer who investigated your vehicle accident would almost certainly base their testimony substantially on what they wrote in their report if asked to testify. Police struggle to keep track of the numerous auto accidents they examine. Instead, they use their police record as a memory aid. Most of the time, the police officer who wrote the report will essentially confirm it in their testimony.

This information is probably known to your attorney as well as the other driver’s insurance provider, and both parties will likely use the police report as a guide to what information a police officer summoned to testify will say. Police officers typically have a high level of credibility because they are not biased in favor of the automobile accident claim. In most cases, they have no motivation to write a police report that is inaccurate or inadequate; thus, their testimony, and consequently, their police report, will have a significant impact on your case.