Most people know that if they are involved in a car crash in North Las Vegas, they need to contact the police and file an accident report. Yet, when it comes to the specifics of these police reports, including how to file them, where to file them, and how to get them, there is often a lot of uncertainty and questions involved.
Thankfully, below, we will walk you through everything you need to know about these police reports, including where to obtain one and why it also may be a good idea to reach out to an experienced North Las Vegas car accident attorney as soon as possible following a car crash.
Obtaining a Police Report for a Car Accident in North Las Vegas
After a car crash, you can request a copy of your accident report by visiting the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s website and providing them with certain necessary information, including:
- Your email address
- Your Phone number, and
- Event number or a date, time, and location of the motor vehicle accident
After you purchase this report for $10, it will be emailed to you using a secure link. However, if your report is not available for viewing online or cannot be sent through your email, you may have to go pick it up in person at a selected location. Yet, in these situations, you will only have 30 days to get this report.
What to Do If Your Request Is Denied
If you are requesting a police report, it is usually a good idea to provide as much information about the report as possible, including the case number, names of the parties involved, address, and date of the incident. This will help the records clerk find the report faster. In addition, it may be in your best interest to request this report in writing, as it keeps everyone accountable, and there is no question as to when you asked for the record.
However, if your request for this police report gets denied, do not panic. Many times when these types of requests are denied, it is because there is an open investigation, which does not have to be disclosed under Nevada’s laws. Yet, once the investigation is closed, records are usually available for inspection.
When to File a Police Report in North Las Vegas
In Nevada, there are laws that dictate when you must file a police report following a car accident. For instance, according to:
- NRS §484E.050:This rule indicates that a motorist involved in a motor vehicle collision with another motor vehicle must give “immediate notice” to the nearest police officer or highway patrol. As a result, if you hit another car or another vehicle hits you, you should call the police as soon as possible or have someone else around you call on your behalf.
- NRS §484E.070:Under this regulation, a motorist must file a Traffic Crash Report within ten days of the crash date if an officer does not come out to an accident scene that resulted in a bodily injury, death, or at least $750 in damages.
Sometimes if the accident is relatively minor or occurred in a parking lot and nobody was harmed, the police may not come out and investigate. Yet, even in these instances, the state’s laws still put a burden on the motorists to report the accident or risk having to endure significant penalties.
What Happens If the Information in the Police Report Is Wrong?
Depending on the circumstances of a car crash, a police officer may not write down the information regarding the accident correctly. As a result, when an individual obtains this report and notices this discrepancy, they may become worried that this inaccurate information will hurt their legal claim if they decide to pursue one.
However, in truth, it is important to understand that police reports are not admissible as evidence at trial. Instead, they are there to establish certain basic facts, including the date and time of the accident and the identity of the responding police report. These reports can also help accident attorneys while they are performing their own investigation into the collision to determine what happened and who was responsible for the crash.
When to Hire a North Las Vegas Car Accident Attorney
By now, you know that if you were injured in a North Las Vegas car accident, you will need to file a police report. However, filing and obtaining this report will not necessarily help you with your claim for financial damages. Rather, you will still need to prepare and present strong legal arguments and relevant evidence proving your case to obtain just compensation for your injuries and losses.
Fortunately, with an experienced North Las Vegas car accident lawyer, you will not have to fight for this monetary recovery on your own. Once retained, these lawyers can determine if you have a viable legal claim, figure out what legal options you should pursue, and handle the investigation process to ensure that all the necessary evidence needed to show fault and damages is secured.
In addition, these lawyers can also handle all the negotiations and discussions with the other side on your behalf, and, if settlement talks head sought, they can take your case to trial and fight for maximum compensation.
Contact Pacific West Injury Law Today for Help
Following a car accident in North Las Vegas, do not wait to secure the legal help you need. Instead, contact Pacific West Injury Law today for a free consultation and let our skilled car accident attorneys show you how we can fight for your rights and the money you are entitled to.
