Los Angeles car accident victims may want to file a claim against the at-fault party for their losses.
It is essential to get a Los Angeles copy of your accident report if you intend to file an insurance claim against the at-fault person. It can be stressful and difficult to recover from a car accident. However, obtaining a copy of your accident reports is an essential step toward receiving compensation.
Your Los Angeles auto accident lawyer can obtain a copy if you are unable to get one.
Why Are Los Angeles Accident Reports Important?
An accident report is completed by a police officer upon arrival at an accident scene. An accident report documents the facts and circumstances surrounding an incident.
Los Angeles accident reports provide pertinent information regarding an accident. This includes the following:
- The accident is proof
- Parties and vehicles involved
- Location,
- Time,
- You can get damages,
Los Angeles accident reports are useful for assembling events that were not possible to capture on your own.
Los Angeles police officers who prepare a Los Angeles car accident investigation report give their impartial observations of the accident. The police officer may be able to identify the at-fault person in addition to reporting what they saw at the scene. This information can be helpful for your personal injury lawyer in negotiating a favorable settlement.
There are specific rules that govern how a Los Angeles accident reporter can report on a personal injury case. It may be used together with the testimony of the police officer who reported the accident to refresh the officer’s memory of the events. If an LAPD officer testifies in support of your accident, this information could be helpful.
Los Angeles Car Accident Reports: How to Get It
Two ways to obtain a copy of your LA crash report are available: online or by mail.
Traffic Collision Reports are only released by the LAPD to authorized persons, such as victims, victims’ representatives, or other individuals identified under Section 20012.
Send us a copy of your LA accident report through the mail
You can request your Los Angeles police accident reports by mail.
To complete your request, please visit the LAPD website.
Attach a $3.00 check payable to LAPD with your request form.
You can request the following information if you are unable to print or view the form:
- Type of report
- Name, address, and telephone number of the requester
- LAPD Incident Number or Report Number
- Date of birth requested by the requester
- Names of the parties included in the report
- Date and time of the incident
- The incident’s location
- Number of the license plate and state of registration
- You can be an interested party or not.
- After the statement, your signature will be added.
Send the document to the address below:
Los Angeles Police Department, Document Processing Unit
PO Box 30158
Los Angeles, CA 90030.
Los Angeles accident reports that involve an arrest, a fatality, or a juvenile cannot be obtained online. They can only be requested by mail.
Get Your Accident Report Online
To obtain Los Angeles Police Department accident reports, visit the LAPD website. The following information must be provided:
- Name,
- Date of the incident
- The incident’s location
- Los Angeles accident report number.
To obtain an online copy of an LA traffic accident report, please allow at least 45 days after the incident for it to become available.
This article was written by Alla Tenina. Alla is a top personal injury attorney in Los Angeles, and the founder of Tenina law. She has experience in bankruptcies, real estate planning, and complex tax matters. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
