What Does the Vehicle Damage Rating Mean in a Police Report?
Whenever police show up on the scene of a car accident anywhere in Nevada, they will fill out a crash report. This allows them to document all manner of information about the crash, including the direction the vehicle was moving at the time of the impact, what action it was taking, driver impairments, driver and vehicle factors that contributed to the crash, the estimated speed of the impact, and more. All of this information is gathered at the scene of the crash, and can play a major factor in an accident claim.
This report is one of the key pieces of information both your car accident attorney as well as the defendant’s will use when determining what compensation you may be eligible for. One of the most important sections on these crash reports is the damage rating.
How is Vehicle Damage Tracked on a Crash Report?
Vehicle damage is tracked in three ways on a police report: point of 1st contact, all damaged areas, and the extent of damage. The first two sections are fairly self-explanatory — where was the initial impact in the accident, and how many areas were damaged by the crash? The third section, the extent of damage, is broken down into six categories:
- Minor damage
- Moderate damage
- Major damage
- Total
- None
- Unknown
All of this information is vital to proving your claim, both to insurance companies and if you end up filing a lawsuit.
How Can a Police Report Affect Your Accident Claim?
Whether you’re filing a claim with your insurance company or if you’re using it as part of your lawsuit against the driver that caused your accident, the police report can play a major factor in how much compensation you may be awarded. However, the police report is far from the end-all-be-all when filing an insurance claim. The insurance company, either yours or the at-fault driver’s will likely send their own inspector to gauge the damage to the vehicle and make their own assessment. Whether or not they agree with the initial police report’s notes on the damage to the vehicle, the police report is still valuable when arguing your case.
Review the Police Report With Your Nevada Car Accident Attorney
An important step you should take is reviewing the police report, both as soon as you get it and then again with your lawyer. Getting eyes on it as soon as possible while the details of the collision is fresh in your mind will help you determine whether there are any sections that you feel don’t accurately represent what happened, and providing those notes to your legal representation can help them determine what steps need to be taken to ensure you’re in the best position possible to argue your case.
If you were injured in a car accident, it’s important to find legal representation you can trust. At the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp, we have spent decades representing Nevada car accident victims, fighting to secure the compensation they deserve. Give us a call to discuss your case today, or fill out our online form to schedule a free case consultation with an experienced Reno car accident lawyer.
