Did you know that Alabama law requires you to report to law enforcement any car accident that is more serious than a fender bender? A police report documenting the accident will be important if you need to file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit after a car crash. If the driver who caused the accident was uninsured, you may also need to file a form with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency within 30 days of the accident.
At Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., our legal team knows you don’t want to deal with legal paperwork while recovering from a crash. If someone else caused the accident, our injury attorneys can investigate the collision, fill out any required forms, and help you seek fair compensation from the driver who caused the accident.
Contact us for your free consultation with an Alabama car accident lawyer. Let us put our decades of experience to work for you.
Why Is It Important to File a Police Report After a Car Accident?
A police accident report provides an impartial account of how an accident happened and is helpful documentation when dealing with insurance companies.
A police report contains key facts, such as who was involved, the time and place of the accident, how the crash happened, the position of the vehicles, and any visible injuries or vehicle damage. It helps establish who was at fault and has financial liability.
Without a police report, you may not know the identity of the driver who hit you or whether the driver has car insurance.
When you dial 911 after a crash, a police officer or state trooper will generally respond to the accident scene and file a police report after an accident. A lawyer at Morris, King & Hodge can obtain a copy of the report while investigating your personal injury case.
When Are You Legally Required to Report a Car Accident in Alabama?
Under Alabama law, you must immediately report any crash with injuries or deaths to local authorities. After a serious accident, it is important to know how to report a car accident to police. The law says accidents involving injuries or fatalities should be reported by the quickest means available. That usually means phoning emergency responders. That allows law enforcement officers to come to the accident scene and evaluate the situation. Failing to report a crash involving injuries or deaths is a Class C felony and carries harsh penalties.
Under Section 32-7-1 of the Alabama Code, the driver must complete a form SR-13 report if a motor vehicle accident caused death, injury, or property damage to any vehicle owner of $250 or more. The driver must file the report with the Alabama Department of Public Safety regardless of who was at fault and whether the vehicles were covered by insurance.
Section 32-7-5 of the Alabama Code requires drivers to submit an SR-31 accident claim form to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency within 30 days if an uninsured driver caused the accident resulting in injury, death, or property damage of $500 or more to any vehicle.
Regardless of which form you submit and which agency receives it, the forms should be filed within 30 days of the accident to avoid legal penalties. A knowledgeable attorney can help you with completing any forms that are necessary and filing a report after a crash.
How to File a Police Report After a Crash in Alabama
Unless the crash involved an uninsured driver, you most likely need to file form SR-13 with the Alabama Department of Public Safety (DPS). Contact an Alabama car accident lawyer if you need help completing the form. Once you’re finished, mail the form to:
Alabama Department of Public Safety
Driver License Division
Safety Responsibility Unit
PO Box 1471
Montgomery, AL 36102-1471
If your crash involved an uninsured driver and your car sustained more than $500 in damage, submit an accident report to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).
How to Obtain a Copy of Your Police Report After a Car Accident
If a police department dispatches a police officer to the accident, the investigating officer should make their report of the incident, which includes more information than what you submitted on the SR-13 or SR-31 form. Insurance companies will likely want a copy of the official police report if you submit a car accident claim. One way to obtain a copy of an official crash report is to order it from the ALEA online. Once you pay a small fee, you can download the report, review it to ensure it’s accurate, and send it to the insurance company.
You can also request a copy of an official crash report by mail. To do this, print a copy of the record request form and mail it to the ALEA with a cashier’s check, certified check, or money order for $15. The mailing address is:
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
Crash Reports
PO Box 1471
Montgomery, AL 36102-1472
If you have legal representation, your personal injury attorney can obtain the police report for you, then use it along with other evidence to pursue an accident claim on your behalf.
Information Contained in an Alabama Car Accident Report
Police accident reports typically includes a considerable amount of information gathered during the investigation, including:
- The date, time, and location of the accident
- Names and contact information of all drivers involved
- Driver’s license and insurance details for each driver
- Vehicle information, including each car’s make, model, and license plate number
- Statements from the drivers, passengers, and any eyewitnesses
- Descriptions of vehicle damage and visible injuries
- Diagram of the accident scene
- Weather, road, and lighting conditions at the time of the crash
- The officer’s observations and notes
- A preliminary determination of fault, if applicable, and any traffic tickets the officer issued
How Our Car Accident Attorneys Can Help You
The team at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C. is here to guide you through every step of the car accident claims process. We can help you complete the necessary forms accurately, request the official police report, and follow up on any errors we notice in the record. Our attorneys can independently investigate the accident and seek evidence to develop a strong claim. We will attempt to negotiate with the insurance company representing the at-fault driver and demand just compensation for your medical expenses and other losses. If the insurance company refuses to agree to a fair settlement, our attorneys will be prepared to take your case to court and represent you at trial.
You can call now or complete our contact form for a free consultation with an Alabama car accident lawyer.
