How to Get a Free Phoenix Accident Report
A traffic accident report can serve as invaluable evidence in many personal injury cases.
But after you’ve been injured in a car accident, there are already more than enough things to worry about—hospital stays, rehabilitation, medical bills, missed work, and of course, dealing with insurance companies. Obtaining a copy of a Phoenix accident report shouldn’t be another one of your worries.
Read on to find out more about police accident reports and claim your free case review and accident report, courtesy of the Phoenix personal injury lawyers at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys.
What Does a Phoenix Accident Report Contain?
Under Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) §28-667, all Phoenix police accident reports must contain, at a minimum, the following information:
- When and where the accident occurred. This includes the time, day, year, and month of the accident as well as adequate identification of the accident’s location.
- Identifying information about every person involved in the accident, including drivers, passengers, and potential witnesses. Info collected includes name, sex, address, and phone number, plus the title, registration and proof of insurance for all vehicles involved in the crash.
- A basic diagram with narrative notes describing the accident scene.
- The name, agency, and identification number of the investigating police officer.
Accident reports also often contain additional helpful information, such as who the investigating officer found to be at fault for the accident based on his or her investigation at the scene, along with supporting statements from witnesses.
Why Do I Need A Police Accident Report?
All of the information provided in a police report can be used by your Phoenix car accident attorney and insurance company to establish who was at fault in the accident and to what degree. The police report can also be used to build a strong and accurate injury claim when it’s time to pursue damages against the at-fault party or parties.
Additionally, should your claim end up in court, a police report in combination with the reporting officer’s first-hand testimony can be extremely persuasive evidence for the presiding judge and jury.
Note: If there was more than $2,000 in property damage, the police officer issued a citation, or the accident resulted in bodily injury or death, the accident report will likely contain even more details, notes, and even photographs of the scene. In some cases, you may also be able to request copies of these photos.
Where Can I Get a Copy of My Phoenix Accident Report?
When it comes to obtaining a copy of your Phoenix traffic accident report, you have several viable options, including free and paid services that are conducted online, in person, or by mail.
Submit Your Records Request To the City of Phoenix
To obtain a car accident report in Phoenix, you can follow these steps:
- Visit the Phoenix Public Records website to access your accident report online.
- Ensure you have either an existing account or create a new one using a valid email address. You must sign into your existing account or create a new one using a valid email address.
- There is a fee of $5 per accident report, which can be delivered to you by mail or electronically via PDF.
To speak with a customer service representative, call 602-262-1885. If lines are busy, you can also call 602-534-1127. To arrange a virtual appointment, you can email policerecords.appts@phoenix.gov. For more information, please contact public.records.ppd@phoenix.gov.
Please note: The City of Phoenix is currently processing a large backlog of traffic accident reports. As such, it may take anywhere from 10 working days to several weeks to actually obtain your Phoenix accident report using this method.
Contact the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS)
In the case that your car accident involved State Troopers or other DPS employees, you can obtain a Collision Report from the Department Records Unit. Just like the City of Phoenix website, you will need to create an account on their platform to request the necessary records. Typically, accident reports are received by the Department Records Unit within 14 days of the collision.
This resource may be helpful for those whose accidents occurred on an Interstate or State Highway. Through the Arizona DPS, you may also be able to request photographs taken by troopers at the scene of the crash.
You can also fill out this form, print it out, and send it by mail if you do not want to complete the request online. Still have questions? Call 602-223-2230 or email public_records@azdps.gov.
Get a Free Copy of Your Police Accident Report
While these are the official channels for obtaining your accident report, it’s worth noting that there is an alternative option.
For the quickest and most convenient method to obtain a copy of your Phoenix accident report, you may consider reaching out to an experienced Arizona car wreck lawyer at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. Not only can we assist in procuring a copy of your accident report through the appropriate channels, but we can also provide valuable insights into the report’s contents and how they may impact a potential injury settlement in the future.
Do I Really Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a Phoenix car accident because of someone else’s negligence, it is worth consulting a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. If you haven’t already heard from the other driver’s insurance company, it’s only a matter of time. There’s no reason to accept a settlement offer that doesn’t even come close to compensating you for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Additionally, before you talk to with an opposing insurance company, obtain a copy of your police report and get your case reviewed for free by one of the experienced and award-winning lawyers at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. This is because a police report can contain key information about your accident, and having it to compare with your own version of events is crucial to understanding any discrepancies.
Our dedicated legal team will help you obtain your accident report and go over all your legal options, with no obligation to hire us. With eight offices located in the Phoenix metro area, as well as in Tucson, Yuma, and Bullhead City, compassionate legal assistance is just one phone call away. We can even make arrangements to assist clients living throughout the entire state of Arizona.
To arrange a free, no obligation legal consultation, contact us 24/7 by phone at 602-977-1900, connect with a LiveChat agent online, or send us your case details for review by filling out this form. The call is free, the consultation is free, and you don’t pay a penny unless we win your case!