To get a police report for your Ohio car accident, you will likely need to order it online or visit the responding law enforcement agency in person. Most agencies charge a fee for this service. It could take a week or more after the collision before the documents are available.
You may be able to get a police report in Ohio by:
- Working with a Columbus personal injury lawyer
- Searching, ordering, and downloading the report online
- Visiting the police department in person
Requesting a Copy of Your Crash Report
The specific actions you need to take to get a police report for your car accident will depend on the process used by the law enforcement agency. This means you will need to know which agency filed the report.
Ohio State Highway Patrol
The Ohio State Highway Patrol offers online searches and downloads of crash reports, as well as photographs and other documentation. You will need general information about the accident, a Javascript-enabled browser, a credit card, and a PDF viewer.
It takes about a week before reports are available online following a crash. The agency may redact some personal information on the report, although this information will be accessible by your attorney or insurance company.
Ohio Department of Public Safety
The Ohio Department of Public Safety provides unofficial copies of accident reports, which may still be helpful and save you a trip to the police agency. You can download any accident report filed by any law enforcement agency in Ohio from this website.
You will need to know:
- The crash number and report document number; or
- The date, county, law enforcement agency, and your last name
Getting a Report From Your Local Law Enforcement Agency
To learn more about how to get an official report from a local police department, check the links below. Most offer a way to visit the agency’s records division in person to request documentation about your crash.
- Columbus: Columbus Division of Police
- Dayton: Dayton Police Department Records Bureau
- Marion: Marion Police Department
- Springfield: Springfield Police Division
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The Police Report May Be Crucial for Your Collision Claim or Lawsuit
If you have a copy of the police report before you meet with a Columbus car accident lawyer, they can get a better idea about what happened and how they can help you. If not, they will request a copy as a part of the investigation into your collision.
Reports filed by law enforcement on the accident scene often play a large role in helping understand what happened and who is at fault in an accident. The responding officers will record information in the report that includes:
- The names, birthdates, and contact information of everyone involved
- When and where the collision occurred
- Descriptions of all vehicles
- Information about witnesses and their statements
- Tag numbers and insurance information
- Pictures and diagrams that explain the collision
- An explanation of what happened
- If anyone received a citation for their role in the crash
With this information, your lawyer will be able to take several steps, including preliminarily determining fault and liability. They can also:
- Work with accident reconstruction experts
- Interview witnesses
- Survey the scene
- Gather additional evidence
- File an insurance claim
- Pursue compensation for your damages
An Ohio Personal Injury Lawyer Can Handle Your Accident Claim
If you work with an Columbus personal injury law firm on your case, they will be able to help you obtain your accident report and take other steps to support your insurance claim. You may be able to build a case against the at-fault driver and recover compensation.
You could receive damages that include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages and reduced future income
- Car repairs
- Additional expenses and losses
- Pain and suffering
Your Ohio car accident lawyer can also prepare a case and go to trial if necessary to pursue the losses and expenses you incurred due to the other driver’s negligence. However, there are deadlines to begin this process. You need to act quickly to ensure you do not lose the right to go before a judge and jury and argue your case.
Contact a personal injury law firm in your area to get started as soon as possible after your injuries are stable.
Talk to the Lawyers at The Fitch Law Firm LLC Today About Your Accident Case
You can discuss your legal options with a team member from The Fitch Law Firm LLC for free today. We provide complimentary traffic accident consultations for victims. You can reach us now.
We handle these cases based on contingency. Your family will not need to pay any attorney’s fees unless we secure a financial recovery for you.