This is the second part of a blog discussing how a police report is used in a personal injury matter. Part one discussed how a police report contains important details of the underlying incident related to a claim for personal injuries. If you have any questions about litigating a claim for damages resulting from any type of vehicle accident, contact Powell Law. Our decades of experience make it the clear and obvious choice to meet all your legal needs, especially for representation in personal injury matters involving any type of vehicle accident in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area.
A Police Report May Help Identify Witnesses
Most reports will list the identity and contact information of all of the individuals present at the scene of the accident. This usually includes information about which of these individuals witnessed the accident and any statements made by them relating thereto. Knowing in the early stages of a personal injury case the identity of witnesses and their recounting of the events, as well as having it contained in some record like a police report, may be a valuable asset for determining the events as they truly happened and proving liability.
A Police Report May Help Negotiate a Settlement
While a police report itself may be inadmissible in a civil trial unless admitted pursuant to the public records exception of the Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence, it can assist in settlement negotiations by providing some preliminary assessment of fault. It may contain useful information as to what motor vehicle statutes may have been violated by the drivers participating in the accident as well as other factual details contained in the observations of witnesses and on-scene law enforcement investigators. For the party with little or no fault in causing the accident, this may provide leverage leading to settlement and a quicker resolution of the case.
The attorneys and staff of Powell Law carry on the work of a law firm that spans generations and has represented thousands of Pennsylvanians over a period of 113 years. Contact Powell Law at (570) 961-0777 or visit us online. The consultation is free and you don’t pay any fees unless we win your case!
