When a driver is involved in any type of car accident and law enforcement is called, the responding officers are required to fill out and submit a car crash report before leaving the scene. This report usually explains to authorities what happened during the crash, what the officer saw at the scene of the accident, and who may be liable.

Several days after your car accident, you may start to think about what legal routes you should take regarding your accident, which may cause you to become curious to know what exactly your car crash report says. Whether you are looking directly at your accident report or waiting to be able to access it, they can be very tricky to read and understand. Therefore, it is normal to need a little help and guidance when doing so.

Reading and understanding a Knoxville car crash report

The most common type of form that the Knoxville police officers use when responding to a car accident is referred to as the Tennessee Uniform Traffic Crash Report. When you are looking at this form, you will notice several different sections, multiple choices, and bubbles that your responding officer filled in or left blank. You will want to first look at the most important sections, which are your name, address, phone number, driver’s license number, date of birth, sex, race, and vehicle information. You will need to ensure that this information is completely factual and correct. If another driver is involved, their personal information will be listed on the report as well.

Next, you will want to look at the section that explains how many vehicles were involved, how many people were killed, and how many people were injured. This section also states the date of the crash, the day of the week, the time, the county, the city, and the area where the crash occurred. This information is critical because it gives fact-based details regarding your car accident, which you will also need to make sure are accurate.

After you have made sure all that information is correct, you will then make your way to the core area of the car crash report, which is the details and opinions based on what the officer saw. The responding officer will look over the accident scene, take statements from you and other drivers involved, speak to eyewitnesses, and form their own opinion about what may have happened while filling out the crash report. This part of the report covers “Harmful Events” (what happened), “Driver Factors” (who did what, based on the officer’s collected information), and “Driver Alcohol/Drugs” (whether or not the driver appeared impaired in some way, and what the test results were).

You want to pay close attention to the “Driver Factors” section. In the driver actions section, the officer can select five different actions that you or the other driver were doing at the time of the crash. Some of the actions that they can choose are failure to yield right of way, failure to use lights, driving wrong way on one-way roadway, inattentive, interfered with by passenger, improper lane change, improper passing, improper turn, and more. You will need to look closely at this section to see what the officer circled for yours or the defendant’s actions. This is very important because insurance companies take this section into consideration when making the decision on how much compensation to give individuals for being involved in a car accident.

If alcohol or drugs were a factor in the accident, the report will indicate whether or not tests were given or refused as well as the results. This section could be very beneficial to your case if you believe that the other driver was driving under the influence or intoxicated at the time of the crash.

What is my crash report used for?

Your Knoxville crash report is very important, as it lays out all the basic facts and information regarding your accident. Insurance companies look at these reports to determine how a car accident happened, which gives them a better understanding of who is responsible and how much money they should provide to car accident victims. Your car crash report will also be used by police officers who are asked to give a testimony or statement during a court trial hearing. It is crucial that you obtain a copy of your car crash report after the seven-day waiting period has passed. This will allow you to make sure that everything is correct and share it with the attorney who is representing you.

If you are still having a difficult time reading and understanding your car accident report, you can call or visit a car accident lawyer at your earliest opportunity. At Banks & Jones, we have experienced and knowledgeable car accident attorneys in Knoxville who are always ready and available to assist individuals with their car accident cases. Our team will welcome you to our office to go over your car accident report and explain in depth everything it says. Police officers use a lot of specialized or slang language that only officers or legal professionals may know and understand, making it challenging for those involved in accidents to comprehend.

Once we finish explaining the ins and outs of your car accident report, our team will discuss with you how we can use the information in the report to help your claim. We want to ensure that you are aware of everything that your report says regarding your accident, as well as the legal options that you may pursue to recover maximum compensation for your injuries and other losses from the accident.

Being involved in a car accident can affect your day-to-day life tremendously. You may have severe injuries, which have resulted in expensive medical bills, lost wages, a diminished quality of life, pain and suffering, and more. Therefore, the last thing you likely want to deal with is complicated and ongoing legal matters. If you are looking for car accident lawyers who will handle every hurdle and obstacle that arises, Banks & Jones is here to help you. Our team will not only take care of everything while you focus on healing and recovering from your injuries, but we will also stand up and demand the justice that you deserve. Call our office or submit our contact form to schedule your initial meeting with a firm that will Fight 2 Win no matter what.