Do I Have to Have a Police Report Before I Can Hire a Lawyer?

While you don’t need a police report of your personal injury accident to hire a lawyer, it is immensely beneficial to have one on file before hiring a lawyer. You can retain legal counsel at any time you wish.

Still, the faster you get a police report and other critical pieces of evidence ready, the easier it will be to win fair compensation for your damages.

If you need to hire an experienced personal injury attorney, please call the law office of John Foy & Associates today. We have more than two decades of experience fighting for personal injury victims. We have successfully settled many cases for our clients. Get in touch with us for a free consultation. 

Some Accidents Require a Police Report

Under the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §40-6-273, car accidents that have apparent damages at or above $500 must get reported to the police. This is primarily just for car accidents. Most other accidents don’t require a police report to get filed.

Even though filing a police report isn’t mandatory, we still recommend that you do so. Having a police report handy is beneficial for your claim. In fact, without a police report, it may be difficult to win a settlement for the damages you’ve sustained.

Why You Should File a Police Report

Filing a police report of your accident can be immensely helpful for a variety of different accident cases:

• Dog bites and animal attacks
• Premises liability
• Car or truck accidents
• Assault or abuse

The primary reason why filing a police report benefits you is because it provides an official record of your accident taking place. Without it, it can be hard to show during negotiations or trial that your damages and injuries resulted from your accident.

A police report can offer a concrete timeline that firmly establishes that your damages got caused by the actions of a negligent person.

Even though you have a right under the law to pursue financial compensation, that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. The at-fault party has a right to defend themself, and the insurance companies aren’t going to be much help either. Having every piece of evidence is critical to winning compensation.

What If I don’t Have a Police Report for My Accident?

If you don’t have a police report for your accident, don’t worry. Our lawyers will still review your case free of charge and see what we can do for you. Even though we stress the importance of having a police report, it’s not hopeless to file a claim without one.

We can supplant the police report with other forms of evidence such as:

• Surveillance camera footage of your accident if available.
• Witness testimonies and statements.
• Testimony from accident reconstruction experts and experts in various other fields.
• Photographs of your injuries, the scene of the accident, and other damages.
• Medical records and financial records showcasing the extent of your damages.

Most of the time, these are all enough to file a claim without a police report. Our lawyers will work with you and fight hard on your behalf to get you the settlement you deserve.

Trust the Personal Injury Attorneys at John Foy & Associates

Many insurance companies will try to convince you that your evidence is lackluster and to just accept the settlement offer they initially provide you. They will also claim that retaining a lawyer isn’t wise as most law firms only seek to exploit you after an accident for your money. These claims may be valid for certain shady law firms but not for John Foy & Associates.

We don’t take any payment up front and charge no hidden fees. All of our initial case reviews and consultations are completely free of charge and carry no risk or obligation. We also don’t accept any payment for our legal services unless we win you compensation for your claim.

Don’t think just because you don’t have a police report that you don’t have the chance to win compensation. Insurance companies want you to feel this way so that they have an easier time getting you to settle for less. Retain a lawyer today as soon as you can for the best results at negotiation or trial.

Talk to One of Our Personal Injury Lawyers Today

The Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §9-3-33 only gives personal injury victims two years from the date of their accident to file a claim. Two years can pass very quickly if you don’t act now.

Don’t wait to schedule an appointment with one of our lawyers today.