Summary
Police reports may be hearsay at trial but are vital for preliminary investigations, establishing liability, and documenting accidents.
Highlights
- Police reports are often inadmissible at trial as hearsay.
- They are essential for preliminary investigations to establish liability.
- Officers report on the parties involved and the incident’s circumstances.
- If no police are present, gather the driver’s license and insurance information.
- Take pictures to document the accident and involved parties.
- Reports help hold liable parties accountable for injuries.
- Gathering evidence is crucial in the absence of a police report.
Transcript
Generally, police reports are inadmissible at trial as hearsay. However, police reports are critical in a preliminary investigation to establish liability and ensure that we hold the parties who injured our clients at fault. During the police officer’s investigation, they will report on the parties involved, the time of the incident, witnesses, and potentially make a determination on contributing circumstances to an accident. If the police are not called or do not come to the scene, make sure that you collect the other party’s driver’s license and insurance information and take pictures. Do everything you can to establish that you were in an accident and that the other party was involved.
