“I was in a traffic accident in New Orleans, and I think I may need a copy of the accident report. I am not sure why but I have heard that I should request a copy of the police report as soon as possible after my accident. How do I get a copy of the report?”
Police Reports Available from the City of New Orleans
If you are in a traffic accident in New Orleans, you can obtain a copy of the accident report from the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). Accident reports are typically available 20 business days after the accident. You can request the report online. NOPD participates in BuyCrash.com to provide online access to traffic accident reports.
For a fee, you can search and access your report online. You can also request a copy of the police report from NOPD for a fee of $5.00. If you request copies of the office police investigation photographs, the fee is $10 per print. For more information, contact the NOPD at its non-emergency contact number (504) 821-2222 or access their website.
Police Reports Available from the State Police
In some cases, a state police officer will respond to a car accident. When this is the case, you must contact the state police to request a copy of your accident report. All accident reports from the Louisiana State Police are available online through its Statewide Crash Report website. You must provide the driver’s or pedestrian’s first and last names, the parish, and date of the crash.
The cost of a crash report is $7.50 plus a $1 convenience fee. For crash photos, the fee is $10 per photo plus a $1 convenience fee.
Why do I Need a Copy of My Accident Report?
A traffic accident report contains valuable information about your accident such as the names and addresses of all drivers, witness information, details about the accident scene, and the officer’s determination of fault. In most cases, a traffic accident report is not admissible as evidence in a court action; however, it does document the accident for the insurance company and can be a strong piece of information that can help you when negotiating a settlement with the other driver’s insurance adjuster.
You should request a copy of your police report as soon as possible after the accident to review the information contained in the report. If any information is incorrect, you may be able to have the information corrected by submitting a request to the police department. However, if you disagree with the officer’s findings, you probably will not be able to have that changed. You may request that an addendum is attached to the report with your request stating that you disagree with the information and why you disagree. This may or may not be granted by the police department.
Call a New Orleans Car Accident Attorney
When you retain our law firm, we will take care of requesting a copy of the accident report. We also perform an independent investigation because we don’t want to rely on the police officer’s determination as to fault. Our attorneys want to uncover evidence that will help build a compelling case against the other driver so that you can receive full compensation for your injuries.
Contact Attorney Fred Olinde of The Olinde Firm by calling (504) 587-1440 or 1-800-587-1889 to request a free consultation with a New Orleans accident attorney.