When Do Police Start Looking Into a Car Accident?
How long it could take the police to investigate a car accident will depend greatly on the circumstances and complexity of the accident. Car accident police investigation time could be a few hours or a few days. Occasionally, a crash investigation could take weeks or even months. It is not unusual for it to take five to seven business days for a police report to be ready. Sometimes, it is longer.
Working with a car accident attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Florida could make it easier to get the necessary documents to support your insurance claim or otherwise seek and recover compensation in your auto accident case. Personal injury law firms often handle serious injury collision cases with no upfront costs.
What Factors Affect How Long It Takes Police to Investigate a Car Accident?
It is difficult to predict a police report car accident timeline because of the steps required in the police crash investigation process. They need to interview eyewitnesses, include measurements and other details about the scene, take photographs as necessary, draw diagrams, and interpret what they believe occurred based on the evidence they gather.
There are many parts of the police accident report process that could take time. This could include identifying and interviewing witnesses, seeking video from nearby businesses, surveying the crash scene, and looking at possible contributing factors to the collision.
Some reasons why a police crash investigation might take longer include:
- If the accident caused potentially severe or fatal injuries
- If there were multiple vehicles involved in the crash
- If the accident involved an 18-wheeler or another commercial vehicle
Hit-and-run collisions may also take more time to investigate. The police report could require a criminal investigation that focuses on the case’s forensic evidence to identify the at-fault driver.
Why Does the Accident Investigation Duration Matter?
For crash victims with injuries, it can be difficult to predict law enforcement accident inquiry time. The injury victims need a copy of the police report for their insurance claim and to begin building a compensation case, especially if they have serious injuries. The police report provides all the necessary information to identify the at-fault driver and learn about their insurance coverage.
You or your attorney will need to obtain this police report once it becomes available. If the police officer agreed with you that the other driver caused the crash, it could bolster your car accident lawsuit and help you hold that driver legally liable for your serious crash injuries.
If you are filing a claim based on your no-fault policy, you may need a copy of this report to provide to the insurance company as a part of the case’s records.
How Can an Attorney Help With Your Florida Car Accident Case?
Your Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer may have some insight into the accident scene investigation timeframe based on their experience and knowledge of local law enforcement and their processes. If enough time passes and they believe the report should be ready, they can also take steps to find out why the agency does not yet have it available.
When you hire a law firm to handle your car accident insurance claim or lawsuit, they will manage all aspects of your case. This service will include gathering many types of evidence, including:
- The accident report filed by law enforcement
- Your relevant medical bills and records
- Witness statements
- Forensic evidence
- Accident reconstruction
- Expert testimony
- Invoices, receipts, and other documentation of damages
Your personal injury lawyer will know how to request and obtain a police report and other documents related to their investigation of your crash. They will likely handle this process for you with no upfront fees. Most handle these cases based on contingency.
How Can You Use the Police Report to Support Your Claim or Lawsuit After a Crash?
Under Florida Statutes § 627.730, the Florida no-fault law, many crash victims can pursue a fault-based insurance claim or lawsuit if they suffer serious injuries. This type of case has you filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s auto insurance carrier instead of your own. You could recover compensation for your medical care, income losses, and pain and suffering. The recoverable damages go beyond what is possible through a no-fault claim.
If you need to sue the at-fault driver to recover compensation, Florida Statutes § 95.11 generally gives victims up to two years to file a lawsuit. This is not always necessary, and many of these cases settle out of court.
Discuss Your Legal Options With Our Attorneys After Your Florida Injury Collision
At the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato, we provide free consultations for victims hurt in Florida car accidents. Our Miami car accident lawyers represent seriously injured victims, fighting for compensation for them. We will review your case and explain our auto accident attorney services to you today. Call (954) 633-8270 or contact us online to get started today.
