Car accidents are common on the densely packed roads of Elizabeth. When they occur, the police are often the first on the scene to investigate the crash and file a report.
Our lawyers can help you obtain your police report and explain what uses it will have in your legal claim. The quickest and cheapest method of getting a car accident report in Elizabeth is to go online, ranging from $5 to $20 per copy. You can also pick up a free copy of your report in person from the Elizabeth Police Department, if they wrote the report. Our team can also help obtain accident reports drafted by the NJ State or Transit Police. Your police report will be pivotal to identifying the liable parties and investigating your case further. If you did not get a chance to gather information on the scene, your police report will help fill in the gaps.
Call our Elizabeth car accident lawyers at Agrapidis & Maroules, P.C., at (201) 777-1111 for a free case assessment and help getting your police report.
Ways You Can Obtain a Police Report for an Elizabeth, NJ Car Accident
After a car accident in Elizabeth, the police will investigate the crash and record the details in an accident report. These reports are typically necessary for insurance claims and help the state keep track of accident statistics. You will want a copy of the police report to help recover compensation for your injuries, and you have a few ways of obtaining it. Going online is usually the fastest, but you can also pick up a copy in person or by mail, depending on which law enforcement agency investigated your accident. You might want to note the police department that responds to your accident, as they do not all have the same procedures. But do not worry if you are unsure or having trouble since we can get a copy for you.
In Person
If the Elizabeth Police Department (EPD) investigated your accident, obtaining a copy of the report from their Records Division in person might be convenient if you are nearby or it is on your way. The EPD Records Division is located at 1 Police Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 07201, and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Getting a copy of your police report in person here is also free of charge.
Sometimes, this option is quicker than getting the report online since it is the EPD’s report and will be in their records before being made available online. Call (908) 558-2111 before stopping by to ensure they are open and have someone available to retrieve records.
The in-person option only applies to the EPD. If another law enforcement agency, like the NJ State Police, drafted the crash report, getting it online is usually easier than visiting their offices.
By Mail
You can also request an EPD accident report by mail. While the EPD does not specify what information should be included in your mail request, you should include as much relevant information as possible, like your name, return address, date of the accident, and the report number if you know it.
Requests can be mailed to the EPD Records Division at the above address. However, this option is not free of charge. To process a mail request, you must include a money order or business check for $5.
Online
Our Elizabeth car accident lawyers recommend getting your police report online so we can put it to use in your legal claim as soon as possible. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the EPD does not provide an online option to get a report.
If your car accident occurred on the NJ Turnpike or Garden State Parkway, which cut through Elizabeth, the NJ State Police would have investigated it. The State Police have jurisdiction over vehicle accidents that happen on toll roads and interstates, like I-95. You can obtain a copy of a State Police accident report online here. First, select whether the accident happened on a toll or non-toll road, then provide the crash date and either your last name, driver’s license number, license plate number, or case number.
It is also possible that the NJ Transit Police Department (NJTPD) created your crash report if your accident occurred near or on NJ Transit property, like the downtown or North Elizabeth train stations. To get an NJTPD police report, email your request to the Records Division at njtpdrecords@njtransit.com. Your email must include your name, address where the report should be sent, phone number, incident date, report number if you know it, and a photocopy of your government identification.
When Will a Police Report for a Car Accident Be Available in Elizabeth, NJ?
After investigating your car accident, officers usually need a few days to organize the information gathered from the involved parties and witnesses. They might also have photos of the accident to review before finalizing the report and uploading it to the online database. Fortunately, N.J.S.A. § 39:4-131 requires accident reports to be filed online within five days of the officer’s accident investigation. The report could be available sooner, depending on the accident’s complexity.
If your report is still unavailable after five days, our team can find out why. We will also review it for errors or missing information and ask the investigating officer to amend it if necessary.
What Can a Police Report Be Used for in an Elizabeth, NJ Car Accident Lawsuit?
While police reports generally cannot be used as evidence in a personal injury trial, they are vital to the claims process. They help us identify the person to sue for your injuries and whether other drivers should be named as defendants. We can also identify witnesses you did not speak to and interview them for your case, which is vital if you were immediately rushed to the hospital and did not get a chance to speak to anyone or take pictures.
Call Our Elizabeth, NJ Car Accident Lawyers Today for Help Getting and Using Your Police Report in Your Legal Claim
Call Agrapidis & Maroules, P.C., at (201) 777-1111 for a free case review from our Elizabeth personal injury attorneys.