After an accident, you might not immediately consider filing a lawsuit. However, you may realize that your injuries warrant compensation from the negligent driver responsible in the coming hours or days. It’s important to have access to a police crash report to get the damages you deserve.

For victims seeking compensation for an accident in New Jersey, it’s important to know what steps to take to get a police crash report. In New Jersey, there’s an important distinction between toll roads and non-toll roads. Depending on where an accident occurs, the process to request a police crash report will differ. Regardless, you can request and receive a crash report that will help your attorney get you the compensation you need after an accident.

The New Jersey car accident attorneys at Legal Care are dedicated to supporting victims’ rights. Our team can help you request a police crash report after an accident and seek to win you compensation for your injuries. For a free consultation, call the Newark, NJ Bicycle Accident Lawyer at Legal Care today at (732) 838-9769.

What’s in a Police Report for a Car Accident in New Jersey?

When car accidents happen and officers are called to the scene for an accident in New Jersey, they will take note of specific information regarding a motor vehicle collision and compile it in a report. Understanding what a police report is can be helpful to victims who need to sue a negligent driver for compensation after an accident in New Jersey.

Police reports for car accidents can go by other names, like crash reports or accident reports. They all mean the same thing; an investigative report on a car accident. In New Jersey, police officers have to complete Form NJTR-1, regardless of the severity of a car accident. That means that if police officers are called to the scene in New Jersey, they will complete a report whether the accident is a fender-bender or worse.

This report is quite extensive. Officers are required to note even the smallest of details. Involved drivers’ physical characteristics and road conditions are examples of some required pieces of information. New Jersey’s reporting guidelines allow police officers to thoroughly document an accident’s events. Afterward, this report is available to all involved parties, including their attorneys.

How Do I Get the Police to Complete a Report for an Accident in New Jersey?

To eventually gain access to a police report for an accident in New Jersey, the police must be called to an accident scene. Negligent drivers might deter victims from calling the police. However, calling the police is important, especially if you intend to sue a responsible driver.

If it seems like your injuries are minor, you might think that calling New Jersey police officers is unnecessary. In reality, some injuries may not present themselves for days or weeks following an accident. In addition, it’s best to involve law enforcement rather than speaking with a negligent driver yourself. If you approach a negligent driver by yourself, they may give you false information. Police officers can find out the truth and allow you to get the immediate medical attention you need.

When you call the police to an accident scene in New Jersey, they can also alert other emergency services. It’s also important to get medical attention for your injuries right away after a car accident in New Jersey. While a police report can support your claim against a negligent driver, so can medical records that attest to the cause of your injuries.

Victims must call police officers to an accident site after a collision in New Jersey. If they don’t, they won’t gain access to a police report to support their future legal claim against a negligent driver. Because New Jersey police officers are required to complete a report for every accident, you probably won’t have to request that they do so regardless of severity. However, if it doesn’t seem as though officers are collecting information, you can ask.

How Can I Make Sure the Information in a Police Report Is Right?

The motor vehicle accident report New Jersey police officers complete is called Form NJTR-1. Victims might not know that what they say to police officers does matter. When police officers complete an accident report, a narrative will be constructed. Talk to officers directly to make sure the right information is included in a police report for an accident in New Jersey.

After an accident, it can be difficult to think clearly. If you’re injured and receiving medical care, it can be hard to speak with police officers. However, telling your side of the story is important. Be honest with police officers about events as you remember them. Prioritizing your path to compensation is necessary. If you’re a car accident victim in New Jersey, try to be as clear as possible with police officers.

In Form NJTR-1, some sections are specific to victims. Tell police officers exactly which parts of your body are injured. If you feel pain, tell them where you feel it. There is space for officers to note the crash description or narrative. This section can be vital to your lawsuit if you sue a negligent driver. Being as transparent with police officers as possible can help them construct a New Jersey car accident narrative.

How Can I Get a Police Report for an Accident in New Jersey?

Getting a police crash report for an accident in New Jersey can be confusing. The process varies, depending on where your car accident occurred. Toll roads and non-toll roles require victims of car accidents to go through different agencies to receive a police report for an accident. Knowing how to request a crash report can be extremely helpful, should you intend to sue a negligent driver for compensation.

Toll Roads

Toll roads, like highways and expressways, often use different police than non-toll roads. For example, suppose you are injured in a car accident on the Atlantic City Expressway in New Jersey. In that case, the Atlantic City Police Department will respond to the accident scene. If an accident occurs on the New Jersey Turnpike, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority or New Jersey State Police will likely complete an accident report. Requesting a crash report from the wrong police department won’t work; you need to request it from the right office.

If you need to get a police report for an accident that happened on a toll road in New Jersey, start by identifying the highway you were on at the time. From there, you can determine which office to contact. It’s also important to know that there is a $5 charge for receiving a police accident report, even if you are a victim of the accident. Requesting your report can be done online or by mail. If you’re unsure what police office to request your report from, ask an experienced lawyer, like the New Jersey motorcycle accident attorneys at Legal Care. A lawyer can get police reports, so you don’t have to. After you request a report, understand that it can take several days to reach you.

Non-Toll Roads

Depending on which non-toll road an accident occurred, victims might find it difficult to determine which police station they should contact to request a crash report. Start by locating the scene of the accident. Usually, the police officers that respond to the scene will have jurisdiction in that area. Next, contact that jurisdiction’s office. If you go to the police station in person, you can receive a crash report for an accident that happened on a non-toll road free of charge.

It can be hard for victims to physically go to a police station after a car accident, especially if they have severe injuries. While anyone can request a police report, including the New Jersey car accident attorneys at Legal Care, it may take longer to be approved. Like with toll roads, you can request non-toll road crash reports online or by mail. However, the cost increases a bit. In New Jersey, non-toll road accident reports sent digitally cost $13, and reports sent in the mail cost $10. It can take about two weeks to receive a non-toll road accident report, so keep that in mind. You can usually receive it more quickly if you or your attorney requests it in person.

What Information Do I Need to Get a Police Report for an Accident in New Jersey?

Before you request a police report for an accident in New Jersey, you must have some important information on hand. Whether making a request digitally or by mail, New Jersey car accident victims must provide certain details.

First, you must know whether or not an accident happened on a toll or non-toll road. Toll roads are highways like the Atlantic City Expressway and the New Jersey Turnpike, and non-toll roads are smaller roadways that do not require toll payments. For example, if you were injured in an accident in your town, it may not have been on a toll road.

When requesting a police report digitally, victims can search using several keywords. That includes your license plate number and driver’s license number. You can also search by your last name. Victims will need to input the date of the accident as well. Whoever is requesting the report, whether victim or attorney, will need to give their personal information.

Victims need to provide similar information when requesting reports by mail as well. If you’re having difficulty collecting the necessary details, you can ask your attorney for help.

Should I Get a Paper Copy of a Police Report for an Accident in New Jersey?

Some victims prefer to receive a paper copy of a police report for a car accident in New Jersey. This is a good option, but it can take longer to access the report than requesting a digital copy. Paper reports are mailed to victims, and victims must pay a small additional fee for the paper itself.

The major downside to getting a paper copy of a police report for an accident in New Jersey is time. It can take over two weeks for paper reports to reach victims by mail, which isn’t necessarily convenient.

Victims will also have to pay an additional few cents for the paper a report is printed on. To request a report by mail, victims will have to pay with a check or money order. When requesting a report digitally, New Jersey car accident victims can use a credit card. While you can request a paper copy of a police report by mail, it will be less convenient and slower than doing so online.

Should I Get a Digital Copy of a Police Report for an Accident in New Jersey?

In these modern times, it’s possible to request a digital copy of a police report for a car accident in New Jersey. Doing so can be very easy and is practically the same price as a paper copy. However, the convenience factor might be enough to convince you to request a digital report.

For toll road and non-toll road accidents, victims can request reports online. Getting a digital copy isn’t expensive and can allow you to gain access to the information quickly.

If you want to get a copy of a crash report for an accident in New Jersey to bring with you to an attorney consultation, downloading it might be the easiest and fastest option. It’s slightly less expensive than requesting a paper copy since you will not have to pay for the paper itself.

Should I Go in Person to Get a Police Report for an NJ Car Accident?

Victims can request a police report for a car accident in New Jersey in person. To do so, victims must visit the proper police department. That can be difficult for car accident victims, especially if they have sustained serious injuries due to a collision.

To request a report in person, New Jersey car accident victims must visit the correct police department. That can be hard since you may not know which New Jersey police department responded to the accident scene. However, when victims request reports in person, they can receive them for free since there is no processing charge.

However, personally going to a police station after a car accident isn’t always easy. If you are hospitalized after an accident, you may not be able to request a report in person. If you can’t, your attorney can do so for you.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Police Report for an NJ Car Accident?

After a New Jersey car accident, victims may wonder how long it takes to get a police report. It can take several days for reports to be digitalized and to become available to victims. Depending on how you request your report, it might take longer to receive.

Police reports for car accidents in New Jersey may not be available until a few days after an accident. These reports are very detailed, so police officers can take a long time to complete them correctly. In some cases, reports are available online with 24 hours of an accident. You can regularly check the online database to see if your report is available.

Once you request a copy of a police report for an accident in New Jersey, it may take some time before it reaches you. Victims can request and download digital copies once they are made available. Victims have 14 days to download a digital copy once they have bought it. Mailed reports can take 15 days or longer to reach car accident victims in New Jersey.

There will be virtually no wait time if you request a report in person at the necessary police department. Officers will hand you your report if it is available. If you want to request a report in person or by mail but aren’t sure if it is available, you can check New Jersey’s online database.

Can I Get a Police Report for an Accident in New Jersey If I Don’t Call the Police?

It’s always best to call the police after an accident in New Jersey. Officers who have experience completing crash reports can properly compile all important information at an accident scene. If, for some reason, you do not call the police after an accident in New Jersey, you can self-report.

Victims can complete the Self-Reporting Crash Form, also known as Form SR-1, to report an accident that the police did not investigate. This form is very detailed and can be completed digitally or by hand. Victims can submit completed forms online or by mail.

The details required by Form SR-1 are similar to those required by Form NJTR-1. It’s helpful to have an experienced attorney by your side, to help you complete Form SR-1 in its entirety.

It’s important to note that self-reporting is not the ideal course of action. Crash reports are helpful to car accident victims when police officers complete them. After you self-report, police officers might further investigate. However, it can be difficult for police officers to thoroughly investigate a car accident that happened in the past. New Jersey car accident victims should call police officers to collect all important information after a collision. Not doing so could delegitimize your claim against a negligent driver.

Can I Get Other Records in Addition to a Police Report for an Accident in New Jersey?

New Jersey attorneys can also make records requests for serious or fatal car accidents. Your attorney might decide to request these documents, in addition to a normal police report, depending on the severity of an accident. New Jersey car accident victims cannot make this request by themselves.

Some car accidents require further investigation, in addition to the average police report. That may be the case if an accident causes serious injuries or fatalities. Victims or their families may require access to these documents to support their claim against a negligent driver.

Only New Jersey attorneys can make this request, however. That is why it is necessary to enlist the help of an experienced Jersey City motorcycle accident lawyer. Making this records request could allow your attorney to gain access to important documents and photos. Digital access to these reports and media costs $20. The cost of printed photographs and reports may depend on their quantity.

Why Should I Get a Police Report for an Accident in New Jersey?

Police crash reports only exist if the police are called to the scene of an accident. Once completed by law enforcement, these crash reports can help provide information for a lawsuit against a negligent driver. While getting a crash report is important, it’s impossible if the police aren’t alerted to the site of an accident quickly.

After a car accident, it’s always important to call emergency services. That includes the police. When police are called to an accident, they will complete a crash report that details the events of the collision. The police will speak to witnesses and all parties involved. They’ll note the condition of the road and the weather. They will collect available evidence and record it in a report. This information can become crucial in proving that another driver’s negligence caused an accident and your resulting injuries.

Without a police crash report, there might be little to support your legal claim against the responsible driver. These reports can help the New Jersey personal injury attorneys at Legal Care get you the compensation you deserve. If you do call the police after an accident, it’s important to request the report quickly. Doing so can provide your attorney with necessary information about the details of a collision. Car accidents often happen fast and can be traumatizing for victims. As you recover, you might not be able to recall the fine details of the accident itself. Reliving it might be overwhelming. That’s why the police crash report is important. It helps your Newark motorcycle accident lawyers understand the events of the accident and gives them the foundational knowledge they need to get you the compensation you deserve.

Our Attorneys Can Help You Get a Police Report for an Accident in New Jersey

Getting a police crash report for an accident can help you receive the compensation you’re entitled to. For a free case evaluation with our experienced team, call the New Jersey car accident attorneys at Legal Care today at (732) 838-9769.