In a serious accident involving injury or significant property damage, having a police report filed is an important part of making sure the details of the event are accurately recorded. Once you’ve contacted the authorities, they’ll investigate the scene and file their report. It’s important to understand how to find out if a report has been filed and how to access it, as the information on there can help you build a case against the other driver if you’re seeking compensation for the crash.

When are Police Reports Filed for Car Crashes in Maryland?

In Maryland, car accidents aren’t typically investigated by law enforcement when the only consequence is minor property damage – so drivers involved in crashes like that do not need to contact the police or file a report. Instead, drivers are required to move off the road and exchange information with each other. The Maryland State Police provides a Collision Information Exchange Form to make the process easier.

Finding yourself dealing with the ramifications of a car accident is bound to be stressful – especially if you’ve been injured. If, however, you’re the victim of a hit-and-run accident, the experience is likely to be that much more frustrating. Whether you were in the vehicle at the time of the accident or not, you’ll need to contact your insurance company and try to resolve the matter as efficiently as possible.

Drivers involved in crashes are supposed to stop their vehicles, assess the situation to determine if medical attention is required, share contact information with the other driver(s), and contact the police so an official report can be filed. In Maryland, it is illegal for drivers to leave the car accident scene without completing those steps. Punishments, depending on the severity of the wreck, may range from fines to point removal on their driver’s licenses, or even jail time.

A police report can play a major role in how your insurance company views your car accident claim. While police officers are not dispatched for every accident, they are sent when someone has been injured, when the accident is blocking traffic, when any of the drivers are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if the parties are fighting about what happened.

When the police officer arrives, they will talk with the involved parties, investigate and assess the accident scene, take photographs, talk to possible witnesses, and generate their report. The reports contain a variety of information; however, it’s important to understand that no two reports are the same. Every police department is likely to have their own form and their own way of generating the reports.

If you’ve been in an accident in Maryland, it’s important to understand how the information on the police accident report can affect your settlement offer. Let’s take a closer look at police accident reports in our state, so you have an idea what to expect in the event you’ve been in an accident.