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Obtaining Your Texas Car Accident Report

One of the most important pieces of evidence in any car collision case is the Police Report. Not all collisions will have a report prepared, but if one is indeed done, then it is the place to start the accident and insurance investigation. Even though they are not always entirely accurate, the police reports contain all sorts of useful information. The reports are usually available within 5 days after the accident, and much sooner in most cases. If the case involves a death, its disclosure can take longer.

Here at my firm, we obtain the reports for our clients and make the initial report to the insurance company to get the claim started. However, if you are doing it on your own, you can obtain the report online if the city or county who investigated the accident subscribes to www.policereports.us. This website charges $6.00 per report; and to find the report, all you need is the date of the wreck and one of the driver's names, or the report number. For a list of cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (including: Tarrant, Dallas, Johnson, Wise and Parker counties) that make their reports available through the policereports.us website, please click on Online Police Reports Available.

If the city where you had your wreck does not make the reports available online, then you must appear in person at the police station or mail them a check and they will mail the report back to you. The cost for each report is $6.00. I have complied a listing of all of the phone numbers for all of the police departments and sheriff departments in Tarrant, Dallas, Johnson, Wise and Parker counties. Please click here for my list of the Police Department Phone Numbers.

If for some reason you are still unable to locate your accident at the local level, you can request a copy from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in Austin, Texas, by submitting TxDOT Form CR-91. TxDOT maintains an archive of all accident reports taken in the State of Texas for a period of 10 years.

Once you obtain your police report, usually several questions arise about what it all means. Click on my Analysis of a Police Report for a reference guide to deciphering the reports.

If you would like for us to obtain a police report for you and advise you on your rights as an injury victim, then please Contact Me Online or call me at 817-294-1900.

Related Topics:
Analysis of a Police Report

How to Investigate an Accident

What to Do After an Accident