While your claim of negligence against a drunk driver may be stronger than in another type of car crash case, you still have a duty as the victim to prove the other driver’s negligence. One strong piece of helpful information that you need to have is the police report. You should call the police at the crash scene whether you think you will file a claim or not. This will help preserve vital evidence if you later discover your vehicle was damaged more extensively than you thought or you experience symptoms of an injury—common in these accidents.
How a Police Report Can Help Your Claim for Compensation Following a Drunk Driving Accident
A police report is a powerful piece of evidence to provide to the insurance adjuster because it is an unbiased report by the police officer at the scene. While it is not admissible in court, the police officer can use information in the report and testify on your behalf as to what he saw and his conclusions as to who caused the wreck. A police report can provide the following helpful information to you and your attorney:
- The date, time, and place of the wreck—something the insurance company can dispute without a report
- Contact information for the other driver and his insurance company
- Contact information for passengers and witnesses to the crash—but do not rely on the police to obtain this vital information for you
- Damages to any vehicles
- Injuries to any victims
- Statements of any drivers, passengers, and witnesses
- Diagram of the crash scene
- Weather and road conditions
- Summary of how the wreck occurred and the officer’s conclusions as to who was at fault
- Traffic citations issued
- Results of any field sobriety tests
- Arrest of the drunk driver
Have You Or A Loved One Been Injured By A Drunk Driver?
If you've been injured by a drunk driver in Texas you need to speak with an experienced drunk driver injury attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.
We help injured drunk driving victims throughout Texas including Arlington, North Richland, Grapevine, Bedford, Hurst, Euless, Irving and all points in between.
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