If you have been in a car accident, there are a number of things you must do in the days following. In addition to contacting your insurance company, securing a rental, or having an adjuster assess any damage to your vehicle, you may need to obtain a copy of the police report. In our three decades of personal injury, Rand Spear, The Accident Lawyer, understands how complicated these situations can become.
You may be eligible for compensation if you have been injured in a car accident because of someone else’s negligent behavior. Our firm has recovered over $700,000,000 in compensation for our clients and their families. Speak to our Pennsylvania and New Jersey car accident lawyers to explore your options.
Pennsylvania Police Report
A police report in Pennsylvania is helpful for insurance purposes and any civil litigation that may result from the accident. According to, a police report is not legally required for every accident. However, it is required if it meets any of these three criteria:
- Property damage beyond $1,000
- Injury
- Death
Though the report may not be required in all circumstances, it may be beneficial in most. It may be a good idea to keep it for your records in case there are future questions or concerns about the accident. Failure to document an accident if it meets the above criteria may result in criminal charges.
Benefits of a Pennsylvania Car Accident Report
You may benefit from reporting your accident and obtaining a report for many reasons, even when the law does not require it. While the report does not necessarily determine fault, it may contain relevant information to determine liability in the event of a civil lawsuit or negotiation. Additionally, this proves that the accident was reported if the law required it.
Requesting Your Pennsylvania Police Report
If you want a copy of your accident or police report, you can request it from the police department. To fill out an online crash report request you will need the incident number that the responding officer may have provided, or your last name and the date of the incident. Once you submit your request, you will receive an e-mail that includes instructions on how to make a payment for your records if you were approved.
You may also make the request for your crash report through the mail by completing the application to obtain a copy of the police crash report, and you mail it to the PA State Police Crash Report Unit at 1800 Elmerton Ave.
Harrisburg PA 17110. On the form, you may indicate whether you would like a physical copy mailed back to you or if you would like a copy e-mailed to you. A fee is associated with the form, so you must include a money order or certified check for $22, payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania asks that you not request your crash report before 15 days following the accident. This will allow the responding officer time to create and file the report and ensure that it is available at the time of your request. If you request the report prior to the 15 days, it may not be available.
In-Person Requests
You may also request your police report in person if that is more convenient. You can do this by confirming the jurisdiction in which the accident occurred or checking the case ID number the responding officer may have given you. It may be beneficial to call the precinct ahead of time to ensure you have the correct location and they have the report ready.
Access to Your Crash Report
Your accident report is not available to the general public, but there are a few people who will be able to access it. Under Pennsylvania Code Chapter 95, your police report may be released to anyone involved in the accident, legal representation of those involved, the insurance companies of the involved drivers, anyone the driver has provided written permission to access, and state or federal agencies that may request it for investigation purposes.
The benefit of this is that if you have contacted Rand Spear, The Accident Lawyer, we may be able to request the report for you so you can focus on healing from your accident.
Reporting Your Pennsylvania Accident
If you call the police to the scene of your accident, they will create a police report for you that you can request later. If you do not call the police to the scene, you may be wondering how long you have to report a car accident in Pennsylvania. According to Pennsylvania law, you have five days to report the accident in most circumstances, though exceptions can be made if the drivers are incapacitated or otherwise unable to make the report due to injury.
If police were not called, you may report your accident online through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (DOT). On their website, everyone involved in the accident should print the driver’s accident report and mail the form to the DOT within five days. Some of the information that will be requested from you is:
- Date, time, and location of the accident
- How many vehicles were involved
- How many people were injured
- If there were any fatalities (and how many)
- Insurance information
- Drawing of the location of the accident
- Narrative of what happened
- Weather conditions
- List of everyone involved
Get Help from a Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer Today
With Rand Spear, the accident lawyer, you will have three decades of experience behind you to support your right to compensation. If you are unsure, our client testimonials speak for themselves. We value the experience of each client we serve.
If you have been injured in a car accident because of someone else’s negligence, you deserve to have legal support. With our no-fee guarantee, you are not required to pay anything until we recover compensation on your behalf. Call us today to set up a free case consultation and demand rand.
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