News & opinion Importance of Houston Police Department Accident Reports

Importance of Houston Police Department Accident Reports

Houston Auto Accident Lawyers
ccident

epo

ts e one of the most impo

t

nt documents you h

ve

ccess to follo

ing

o

dy

ccident. The

e e t

o distinct

epo

ts

hich m

y be filed in Houston. The one filed by l

enfo

cement

ho

ive on the scene is kno

n

s

C

-3,

nd the othe

,

hich m

y be filed by

nyone involved in the

ccident, is kno

n

s

C

-2 (o

blue

epo

t).

Do I H

ve to File

Houston

ccident

epo

t?<

h2>

cco

ding to<

h

ef=”https://c

pitol.tex

s.gov/billlookup/Histo

y.

spx?LegSess=85

&

mp;Bill=SB312″ t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

"> Tex

s Legisl

tu

e Sen

te Bill 312<>, the Deptment of Tnspo

t

tion in Tex

s no longe

et

ins D

ive

’s Csh

epo

ts. Ho

eve

, this does not me

n

epo

t should not be filed. If nothing else, filing

C

-2

llo

s you to h

ve

eco

d of the

ccident f

om you

point of vie

on file. It is impo

t

nt to

ecount the

mount of d

m

ge, even though the seve

ity of inju

ies m

y not be immedi

tely kno

n follo

ing

n

ccident. In some c

ses, such

s

hipl

sh o

inte

n

l inju

y, <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

cl

im-

n-inju

y

“>victims m

y not be e of thei

inju

ies

t

ll<>.

ddition

lly,

h

t m

y look like mino

d

m

ge to

vehicle

t the scene of

n

ccident could

ind up being estim

ted

t signific

ntly mo

e th

n you o

igin

lly thought.

emembe

,

h

t m

y seem like

mino

fende

bende

could

esult in sevel hund

eds of doll

s in p

ope

ty d

m

ge o

medic

l bills in the

eeks follo

ing

n

ccident. Don’t

it too long to t

ke

ction.

L

Enfo

cement

nd the C

-3

ccident

epo

t

hen

n

ccident

esults in mo

e th

n $1,000 in d

m

ges to p

ope

ty,

victim suffe

s

n inju

y, o

victim loses thei

lives, l enfo

cement is

equi

ed to fill out

nd file

C

-3.

epo

ts must be filed

ithin 10 d

ys of the d

te the

ccident occued. These<

h

ef="https:

/

.txdot.gov

gove

nment

enfo

cement

c

sh-

eco

ds.html” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

">

epo

ts e not public info

m

tion<>; they e only

ccessible to l

enfo

cement, o

they m

y be

equested by specific people involved in the c

se.

ccident Victims

nd the C

-2

ccident

epo

t<

h2>

ccident victims m

y<

h

ef=”https://

.houstontx.gov

police/c

sh_

epo

t/index.htm” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

"> file

C

-2

ccident

epo

t >. Since

C

-2

epo

t is not

equi

ed, some victims e unce

t

in

hethe

they should file one o

not. Cont

ct

c

ccident

tto

ney

nd spe

k

ith them

bout the ci

cumst

nces of youccident. They c

n give you pe

son

lized guid

nce

eg

ding filing

Houston c

ccident

epo

t.

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

tex

s-c-

ccident-

epo

ts/”>Filing

csh

epo

t<>

llo

s you to

eco

d the follo

ing det

ils:
  • -level=”1″>N

    me

    nd cont

    ct info

    m

    tion fo

    the involved d

    ive

    s

  • i

    -level="1">D

    ive

    ’s license info

    m

    tion

    s

    ell

    s license pl

    te info

    m

    tion<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">N

    me of the

    egiste

    ed o

    ne

    of the vehicle

  • i

    -level="1">Insunce comp

    ny n

    mes foll involved in the

    ccident

  • i

    -level="1">Det

    ils of the

    ccident including loc

    tion, time,

    nd d

    te

  • i

    -level="1">Ntive expl

    ining the ci

    cumst

    nces su

    ounding the

    ccident<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Photogphs of the

    ccident scene

    nd

    fte

    m

    th

s you c

n see, this info

m

tion c

n be helpful, pticully

hen you

e filing

n inju

y cl

im, ohen holding esponsible d

ive

ccount

ble by filing

c

ccident lsuit.

ho C

n

ccess

Houston

ccident

epo

t?

Tex

s l

est

icts

ho m

y

ccess those

ccident

epo

ts

hich

e filed.

Inte

ested pties

ho m

y p

y

fee to

ccess the

epo

ts include:

  • i

    -level="1">

    nyone involved in the

    ccident<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">The employe

    of

    nyone involved in the

    ccident

  • i

    -level="1">The pent o

    leg

    l gudi

    n of

    nyone involved<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">The o

    ne

    s of the vehicles involved<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">

    ny othe

    pty in

    position of fin

    nci

    l

    esponsibility fo

    the vehicle (e.g. insu

    nce holde

    )<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">The insunce comp

    ny

    ho h

    s

    policy th

    t cove

    s

    ny d

    ive

    o

    p

    ssenge

    involved in the

    ccident

  • i

    -level="1">The insu

    e

    ho cove

    s the vehicles involved in the csh<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">P

    ope

    ly licensed o

    ne

    s of television o

    dio st

    tions<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">

    nyone

    ho h

    s the leg

    l

    ight to file

    ongful de

    th cl

    im bec

    use of the

    ccident<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">

    ll loc

    l, st

    te, o

    fedel gove

    nment

    gencies<

    li>

ccident

epo

ts filed by l enfo

cement office

s e

v

il

ble fo

10 yes follo

ing the d

te of the

ccident. C

-2s e not

et

ined.

Identifying Csh

epo

ting Mist

kes

nyone

ho is

victim of

c

ccident in Houston should

equest

copy of the

ccident

epo

t filed by l

enfo

cement. This is done by using fo

m C

-91

nd m

y

equi

e the use

to<

h

ef=”https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot-info/t

f

c

sh_notific

tions

2018/code-sheet.pdf” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

">

evie

C

-3CS > to unde

st

nd the codes

hich

e used in the

epo

t. The

epo

ts m

y be confusing,

hich is

hy

ccident victims often

equest they be

evie

ed by thei

c

ccident lye

s.

hen you

equest

copy of the

epo

t, you should

evie

ll the st

tements m

de by l

enfo

cement to ensu

e the

ccucy of the info

m

tion.

ny mist

kes in the

epo

t could hu

t you

insunce cl

im.

emembe

, insu

nce comp

nies e going to look

t

ys to minimize you

cl

im—

nd

mist

ke in the Houston

ccident

epo

t could give them the

mmunition they need. You

pe

son

l inju

y

tto

ney is the

e to

ep

esent you

best inte

ests. If you find

mist

ke in the

ccident

epo

t, they c

n help co

ect the

eco

d

nd p

ovide

n

ccu

te st

tement

bout the

ccident. You should

lso keep

nothe

f

ct in mind. Even

hen

Houston

ccident

epo

t is filed p

ope

ly, the police office

t the scene m

y h

ve decided

ho is

t f

ult fo

the

ccident.

hile the “offici

l”

epo

t m

y sho

you e

t f

ult, don’t p

nic—you

tto

ney’s investig

tion m

y uncove

evidence th

t sho

s

diffe

ent outcome. Oftentimes,

itness st

tements

nd

ccident

econst

uction cont

dict the office

’s findings.

Do I Need

Houston Police

ccident

epo

t to File

n Insu

nce Cl

im?<

h2>
The simple

ns

e

is no. The mo

e complex

ns

e

, ho

eve

, is th

t

n

ccident

epo

t c

n help you t

emendously

hen filing

n insu

nce cl

im. Simply put, the

ccident

epo

t p

ovides info

m

tion th

t helps summ

ize the

ccident. This m

kes filing you

cl

im e

sie

,

nd this is

hy the

ccucy of the

epo

t is so impo

t

nt. You should

equest

copy of youccident

epo

t

s soon

s possible.

hile you do not need the

epo

t to file

cl

im, it is usu

lly

good ide

to h

ve the info

m

tion f

om the

epo

t

v

il

ble to you befo

e filing. Spe

k

ith youtto

ney

bout you

insu

nce cl

im

nd

sk fo

thei

guid

nce

egding

hethe

to it fo

the offici

l Houston police deptment

epo

t o

to p

oceed using you

o

n

epo

t

hen filing

n insunce cl

im.

Ho

Long Befo

e My

ccident

epo

t is in the System?<

h2>
L

enfo

cement office

s

e

equi

ed to file

ccident

epo

ts

ithin 10 d

ys of the

ccident. In some c

ses, it m

y t

ke

s long

s

n

ddition

l fou

business d

ys befo

e the

epo

t is

v

il

ble in the system. Once you h

ve p

id the

pp

op

i

te fees

nd

equested

copy of the

epo

t, it m

y t

ke

nothe

sevel d

ys befo

e the

epo

t is

v

il

ble to

ccess. Monito

you

em

il—once you h

ve

ccess to the

epo

t, you

ill h

ve only

fe

d

ys to do

nlo

d the

epo

t befo

e the

epo

t is no longe

ccessible.

Should I

it fo

the

ccident

epo

t Befo

e Spe

king

ith

n

tto

ney?

No. If you h

ve been seen by

docto

nd kno

the extent of you

inju

ies, you should spe

k

ith

l

ye

. In f

ct, you should cont

ct

n expe

ienced c

ccident

tto

ney in Houston befo

e you spe

k

ith you

insu

nce comp

ny

t

ll.

hile you m

y think this is excessive, the

e

e some things you should kno

bout insu

nce comp

nies

nd de

ling

ith

djuste

s:

  • i

    -level="1">ong>Multiple

    djuste

    s fo

    cl

    ims – ong> Be e th

    t you

    ill most likely de

    l

    ith

    t le

    st t

    o cl

    im

    djuste

    s. One

    djuste

    ill be

    esponsible fo

    h

    ndling issues like you

    medic

    l bills. The otheill only h

    ndle you

    cl

    im fo

    d

    m

    ge to you

    vehicle. Both

    djuste

    s

    ill be looking fo

    diffe

    ent info

    m

    tion.<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">ong>

    void

    eco

    ded st

    tements – ong> It is

    f

    i

    ly common t

    ctic fon insunce comp

    ny to tell you it is st

    ndd pctice to

    eco

    d you

    st

    tement. Not only is it not

    common p

    ctice o

    n oblig

    tion, it is in f

    ct

    sne

    ky method used by insu

    e

    s to minimize cl

    ims. Du

    ing

    eco

    ded st

    tement,

    ell-tined

    djuste

    s

    ill

    sk you specific questions

    hich

    e intended to g

    in specific info

    m

    tion. This info

    m

    tion

    ill be used to minimize you

    cl

    im. Don’t f

    ll fo

    it!

  • i

    -level="1">ong>

    evieequests foele

    se of info

    m

    tion – ong> The

    djuste

    h

    ndling you

    medic

    l bills cl

    im

    ill p

    ob

    bly

    equest you sign ele

    se

    llo

    ing them

    ccess to you

    medic

    l

    eco

    ds. You must

    evie

    this

    equest c

    efully—it m

    y not be

    h

    t it

    ppe

    s to be on the su

    f

    ce.

    hile the insunce comp

    ny does h

    ve ight to see you

    medic

    l

    eco

    ds fo

    t

    e

    tment of the inju

    ies you suffe

    ed in

    n

    ccident, thei

    fo

    m

    ill

    sk fo

    f mo

    e

    ccess. This is to see if

    ny inju

    y you suffe

    ed existed befo

    e the Houston c

    ccident. They

    ill t

    y to dismiss you

    ccident inju

    ies

    s p

    e-existing conditions.<

    li>

These

e just

fe

of the

e

sons

hy it is helpful to spe

k

ith

Houston c

ccident

tto

ney befo

e you file you

insunce cl

im.

lye

c

n guide you th

ough the cl

ims p

ocess

nd m

ke su

e you do not p

ovide

ny info

m

tion to the insunce comp

ny

hich could

esult in the insu

eeducing the

mount of you

cl

im.

Compens

ting You fo

You

Inju

ies

C

ccidents often

esult in se

ious inju

y. In

ddition to the bodily inju

ies you h

ve suffe

ed, you

f

mily’s fin

nces e imp

cted

s

ell.

hen

n

ccident is not you

f

ult,

e believe you

nd you

f

mily should not h

ve to be

the fin

nci

l bu

den

ssoci

ted

ith the

ccident. This includes the cost of

ep

i

ing you

vehicle, the ges you

ill lose

hen you’

e out of

o

k du

ing youecove

y,

nd medic

l expenses.

n

tto

ney

ith expe

ience h

ndling c

ccident c

ses c

n help m

ke su

e you

em

in fin

nci

lly st

ble follo

ing

n

ccident.

c

ccident cl

im c

n help you

ecove

fin

nci

l compens

tion fo

losses such

s:

  • i

    -level="1">ong>Medic

    l bills -<

    st

    ong>

    e unde

    st

    nd you m

    y h

    ve he

    lth insunce

    hich

    ill cove

    some of you

    expenses. Ho

    eve

    , if you h

    ve not met you

    nnu

    l deductible, if you

    equi

    e se

    vices th

    t e not cove

    ed, o

    if you h

    ve to pu

    ch

    se p

    esc

    iption d

    ugs th

    t

    e not cove

    ed, you should not h

    ve to p

    y fo

    these expenses out of pocket. The pe

    son

    esponsible fo

    the

    ccident should be fin

    nci

    lly li

    ble.<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">ong>

    eh

    bilit

    tion costs -<

    st

    ong> Victims of se

    ious inju

    ies including b

    oken bones, d

    m

    ge to ne

    ves o

    tendons,

    nd those

    ho suffe

    t

    um

    tic bin inju

    y (TBI) often

    equi

    e

    eh

    bilit

    tion se

    vices. In some c

    ses, these se

    vices

    e sho

    t-lived to help you

    eg

    in st

    ength, but in othe

    c

    ses, you m

    y

    equi

    e voc

    tion

    l

    eh

    bilit

    tion the

    py. You

    inju

    ies m

    y m

    ke it impossible fo

    you to

    etu

    n to you

    cu

    ent

    o

    k. These

    eh

    b costs

    e often not cove

    ed by you

    insu

    nce.

  • i

    -level="1">ong>Loss of income

    nd benefits -<

    st

    ong> You m

    y be collecting dis

    bility p

    yments

    hile you

    ecove

    , but these p

    yments

    e gene

    lly less th

    n you

    full-time income.

    ddition

    lly, you

    employe

    m

    y h

    ve

    equi

    ed you to use sick time, v

    c

    tion time,

    nd pe

    son

    l time

    hich you

    e

    e counting on fo

    futu

    e use. These losses

    e not you

    f

    ult,

    nd should the

    efo

    e be compens

    ble.

These

e only some possible

venues of compens

tion

n

tto

ney

ill seek on you

beh

lf. In the event the

t-f

ult d

ive

’s insu

nce is insufficient to compens

te you fo

you

losses, negoti

ting

ith the insunce comp

ny fo

mo

e

e

son

ble settlement must be done. Bec

use insu

e

s h

ve

n my of lye

s

o

king fo

them, <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

l

ye

-

fte

-c-

ccident/”>it is

lys

good ide

to h

ve you

o

n l

ye

<> negoti

ting on you

beh

lf.

emembe

, the insu

nce comp

ny is not on you

side. Despite

h

t they m

y tell you, thei

fi

st offe

is

ely—if eve

—the best offe

they

ill m

ke.

Myths

bout

o

king

ith

Houston C

ccident Lye

Some of the conce

ns

e he

bout

o

king

ith

n

tto

ney follo

ing

c

ccident just pl

in en’t t

ue. He

e e some of the common fes

nd

nxieties

hich

e he f

om hesit

nt clients:
  • -level=”1″> ong>

    tto

    neys m

    ke c

    ses l

    st longe

    -<

    st

    ong> This is not t

    ue. Ne

    ly eve

    y

    tto

    ney kno

    s the soone

    c

    se ends, the bette

    fo

    thei

    client. The

    e e ce

    t

    in time fmes they must

    dhe

    e to,

    nd you

    tto

    ney

    ill

    o

    k diligently to meet them.

  • i

    -level="1">ong>

    tto

    neys

    e too expensive – ong> You m

    y think you c

    nnot

    ffo

    d

    n

    tto

    ney, but you

    e

    ong. In f

    ct, c

    ccident l

    ye

    s

    ill t

    ke most c

    ses on

    contingency fee b

    sis. This me

    ns unless they e successful in secu

    ing

    settlement on you

    beh

    lf, you

    ill not p

    y fo

    leg

    l fees

    t

    ll.<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">ong>

    tto

    neys cont

    ol the settlement -<

    st

    ong> This is

    lso f

    lse. Ultim

    tely, you h

    ve the fin

    l

    o

    d on

    ny settlement they

    e

    ch on you

    beh

    lf. Youtto

    ney

    ill p

    ovide you

    ith the settlement info

    m

    tion

    nd give you thei

    best

    dvice. Ho

    eve

    , the decision to

    ccept oeject

    settlement offe

    is

    ll you

    s.<

    li>

If you

e in

n

ccident

nd l enfo

cement is c

lled, they

ill file

Houston

ccident

epo

t.

hile the

epo

t is not needed fo

you to file

n insunce cl

im, no

is it

equi

ed to <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

file-

-pe

son

l-inju

y-cl

im

“>file

n

ccident

nd inju

y l

suit >, you must be ce

t

in the info

m

tion in the

epo

t is

ccu

te.

fteny eck, spe

k

ith

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

c

ccident-

tto

ney-houston

“>Houston c

ccident lye

> to len mo

e

bout youights

nd fully unde

st

nd your options.

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How to Claim for Whiplash After a Car Accident 10 Jan

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