Getting a Car Accident Report In Bozeman
A car accident is a traumatic and terrifying experience, especially when it ends in serious injuries as well as property damage to your car. In fault-based insurance states like Montana, the distress continues long after the accident, when an injury victim seeks fair compensation for their damages, like medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Under Montana’s modified comparative negligence car accident laws, an injury victim must file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance. This requires compelling evidence of their liability, beginning with a copy of the car accident report.
How Do I Get a Copy of a Bozeman Car Accident Report?
If a car accident causes any injuries, death, or property damage of over $1,000, Montana law requires the motorists to report the accident to the police. When the police arrive at the scene of the car accident, they generate an accident report. This typically includes the arriving officer’s assessment of the accident, the names and contact information of all involved drivers, and sometimes the statements and/or contact information of eyewitnesses to the accident. The car accident report is important evidence in a car accident claim. Obtaining a copy of a car accident claim in Montana depends on where the accident occurred. If the accident happened in Bozeman, the Bozeman Police Department most likely handled the accident. The report is available in about ten days through the Gallatin County records request online portal, or by calling 1-406-582-2005. Have the date and location of the accident available when making a request. If you know the name of the responding officer, it helps to expedite the request.
How Does a Car Accident Report Affect My Car Accident Claim In Bozeman
In a fault-based insurance state like Montana, insurance companies deduct the accident victim’s percentage of fault for the accident from the compensation they recover. For instance, if the insurance company finds a car accident victim 25% at fault for the accident, they reduce the compensation they must pay out on a $100,000 claim to $75,000. This benefits those who contributed to the accident because they can still recover a portion of their compensation as long as they are less than 51% at fault. Unfortunately, it also incentivizes insurance companies to assign an undue percentage of fault to injury victims, allowing them to protect their profits.
What to Do After a Car Accident In Bozeman
By documenting evidence at the scene of a Bozeman car accident, an injury victim can protect themselves against an insurance company’s tactics by taking photos that help their Bozeman car accident lawyer and an accident reconstruction expert prove how the accident occurred and which driver caused it. Some accident victims may be incapacitated and unable to take action, but if a driver or uninjured companion can use a cell phone at the scene, taking the following steps helps protect their physical and financial recovery:
- First, call 911 to report the accident and apply reasonable first aid
- Then, use the phone’s camera to take photos of the accident scene
- Photograph the damaged vehicles and anything relevant, like an intersection, traffic signs, and skid marks
- Take photos of your injuries if they are visible
- Add the contact information of the other driver, and do not say anything that can be construed as admitting fault
- Add the contact information of any eyewitnesses to the accident
- Go directly to a hospital and ask for a thorough examination and a detailed medical report
The evidence preserved at the crash scene through photos, videos, and contact information is a vital addition to a car accident report after an accident in Bozeman or elsewhere in Montana.
Contact Beck, Amsden & Stalpes, PLLC
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Bozeman, obtaining an official crash report is a critical first step in documenting your case. Need help locating or requesting your report? Beck, Amsden & Stalpes Bozeman personal injury lawyers can assist you with this process and help interpret the report’s findings to support your claim.