After a car accident, you may wonder how to obtain a copy of your San Diego traffic accident report.
The San Diego Police Department investigates an accident that caused injury, death, or extensive property damage.
Your accident report may serve as a vital piece of evidence if you plan to pursue compensation through insurance claims or personal injury lawsuits.
How to Request a Copy of Your San Diego Accident Report
Obtaining a copy of your traffic accident report in San Diego is relatively easy.
The San Diego Police Department offers all parties three different methods to retrieve a copy of an accident report.
Fill Out the Short Form Below to Get Your Accident Report
Make a Request In-Person
You may make a trip down to the San Diego Police Department to request a copy of your accident report in person.
Find the San Diego Police Department Records Department at 1401 Broadway, San Diego, California 92101. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
You must bring a valid form of government-issued identification and method of payment.
Make a Request Online
You may request a copy of your San Diego police accident report online through eCrash.
The website charges a fee of $10 per accident report.
You must provide certain information, including:
- Your name,
- Date of the accident,
- Location of the accident,
- Case number.
It’s relatively easy to request an online copy of your accident report in San Diego, CA.
An advantage to ordering your copy online is receiving a pdf copy that you can save to your computer.
Make a Request by Mail
To receive a copy of your San Diego police accident report by mail, you must complete a letter of request including the following detailed information:
- Date of the accident,
- Location of the accident,
- Name of involved parties,
- Incident number.
The reporting police officer provides you with your incident number at the scene of your accident. You should also include a copy of your California driver’s license.
Send all requests to the following address:
San Diego Police Department MS #76
P.O. Box 121431
San Diego, California 92112-1431
Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for the responding records clerk to return the San Diego accident report. You should include a check or money order in the amount of $12.00 in the envelope for processing fees.
Why Do I Need My San Diego Traffic Accident Report?
After a car accident, it’s wise to obtain a copy of your accident report in San Diego.
The information included in this report assists your personal injury lawyer to prepare a lawsuit on your behalf.
An accident report serves as a neutral, third-party source of evidence to resolve disputing claims made by involved parties and insurance companies.
For example, most accident reports contain the following:
- Location, date, and time of the accident;
- Details about the accident;
- Contact and insurance information of involved parties;
- Identifying information for witnesses;
- Photographs;
- Statements from witnesses;
- Whether any driver was cited or arrested at the scene; and
- Summary of the reporting police officer’s finding.
The report may also contain any statements made by the drivers involved in the car accident.
The information included in the report may also assist in refreshing your memory about specific details of the accident.
Are You Required to Report a Car Accident?
Even if California law does not require you to report all car accidents, it’s usually beneficial to do so.
California sets forth certain circumstances requiring parties to register a car accident.
These include the following:
- If someone is hurt or killed in a car accident, California law requires you to report that accident to law enforcement within 24 hours.
- If a car accident results in property damage amounting to more than $750, you must report it. However, it may be difficult to quantify the property damage that has occurred at the scene of an accident. Therefore, it’s wise to report all accidents resulting in damage to law enforcement.
You must also report your accident to the California Department of Motor Vehicles if the following occurred:
- The accident caused injuries, even minor injuries;
- The accident resulted in death; or
- The accident resulted in property damage amounting to more than $750.
The DMV requires parties to report accidents falling under the above criteria within ten days.
Contact Us
With over thirty years of trial experience, Chuck Geerhart has spent the last twenty years representing plaintiffs in personal injury matters.
Chuck understands the whirl of emotions injured victims may feel as they pursue compensation for their harm.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit due to a car accident requires the assistance of an experienced and qualified attorney.
Chuck fights for what you deserve.
Contact the Law Office of Chuck Geerhart today for a free case evaluation.