Can I Make Changes to a Police Report?

After a serious car accident in Tulsa, you should dial 9-1-1 and wait for the responding officers to arrive. Once they arrive, they will look around the accident scene, assess the damage, and ask questions about your injuries and the events that led to the crash. While asking these questions, the police officers will be creating a police report.

A police report is an important document that explains what happened during your Tulsa car accident, what the responding officers saw, what you told them, and more. This document can be accessed at any time to support your car accident claim. However, it is not uncommon for individuals to become alarmed when they look over the police report and notice mistakes that need to be changed or fixed.

Why would there be an error on a police report?

Although many people hold police officers to a higher standard and believe that they should never make mistakes, the reality is that they are human and do make mistakes from time to time. There are many reasons why a mistake or error was made on your police report, such as:

• The police officer heard you or the other party wrong.
• You or the other party were upset, overwhelmed, and frustrated, which led to inaccurate information being given.
• One party was not honest or transparent about what happened.
• The police officer listened to two very different accounts of what happened, making it difficult to determine whose side of the story was more truthful.

Simple mistakes can also occur and are easily fixed. For example, if you handed your driver’s license to the police officer but forgot to mention that your address recently changed, you can simply provide documentation showing your updated address.

Can I amend a police report after a car accident in Tulsa, Oklahoma?

Yes, you can amend a police report after a car accident in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While you may be hesitant to change a police report out of fear of bothering the police officers, it is important to realize that people make mistakes. Whether you gave the wrong information or one of the police officers made an error when writing something down, this tends to happen, especially in stressful and nerve-racking situations like car wrecks.

Instead of waiting or letting the mistake remain on the report, you should contact the police department as quickly as possible. One small mistake on your police report could make a big difference in the outcome of your car accident claim, as it can open the door for misinterpretation and lead to permanent consequences.

How long do I have to make changes to a police report?

You have just two years from when a car accident occurred to file a claim for compensation under Oklahoma Statute § 12-95. If you need to make changes to a police report, it is critical to remember the two-year deadline. Your lawyer and the attorney for the opposing side will likely use the report to investigate your claim, which means that you should inform the police department about the mistake as soon as possible. The police department may take a few days to amend the report, and it can take another few days before you receive a copy of the updated and fixed report.

Keep in mind that the police department will be more willing to fix mistakes on the report if you notify them quickly after the accident. If you wait until a year later to request corrections, they may wonder if you are being truthful and why you waited so long to inform them of the mistakes. The sooner you can review the police report and let them know about the mistakes, the smoother the process will go.

What is the process for changing a police report?

Changing a police report is simple as long as you follow the steps below.

1. Contact the police department: As soon as you look over the police report and notice mistakes, it is a good idea to reach out to the police department.
2. Calmly explain the mistakes you noticed: While you may be frustrated or annoyed by the mistakes, it is important that you remain calm and cordial with the officer.
3. Provide evidence, records, or documentation showing the correct information: While they may want to believe you, they may need to see proof of evidence, records, or documentation showing the correct information. For example, if the officer wrote down that you did not have an injury and your doctor later discovered that you have a traumatic brain injury, you may be able to provide medical records or doctor notes to show proof of this injury.
4. Give your account of the accident if you think the report is wrong: If the police officer took the other party’s account of the accident first, there is a possibility that the police report may look like it is siding with the opposing side. Remember that while officers are likely to correct factual errors like your address, they are less likely to modify anything like an officer’s impression.
5. Hire a lawyer to help you communicate and amend the police report: A Tulsa car accident lawyer will be happy to take some of the burden off your shoulders by helping you communicate with the police department and prove the mistakes noticed on the report.

Do you need help making a change to a police report or pursuing a car accident claim? If so, the Tulsa car accident attorneys at Biby Law Firm Injury and Accident Lawyers are ready to assist you. Please call our office or submit our contact form to schedule a free case review today.