If you were injured in a car accident in Illinois and are pursuing an insurance claim against the driver who hit you, the official accident report may be a critical piece of evidence in your pursuit of compensation. This report contains the responding police officer’s observations of the accident scene, as well as their assessment of the likely cause of the collision and who was at fault. Your Illinois car accident attorney will obtain a copy of the accident report as part of their process of investigating the crash and building your claim.
Who Must File a Crash Report?
Illinois used to require motorists involved in car accidents to submit a crash report if there were injuries, fatalities, or property damage in excess of $1,500. However, a recent change to the law eliminated this requirement for all drivers except state employees involved in collisions in state vehicles.
As the mandatory reporting formally required is now a thing of the past, it’s more important than ever to protect yourself by calling law enforcement after any motor vehicle collision. Calling the police and getting an officer on the scene will yield the creation of a written report that you’ll be able to access and use in your personal injury claim.
What Information Does an Illinois Crash Report Contain?
An Illinois car crash report will contain basic facts about the accident and the parties involved, as well as the responding officer’s assessment. Some of the information included in the crash report includes:
- The time, date, and location of the crash
- Contact information for all drivers
- Names of eyewitnesses
- The age of the individuals involved
- The gender of the individuals involved
- Information about whether the people involved used seatbelts or child restraints
- Information about who was in the front seat and the back seat
- Speed limit information
- Stop signs or traffic lights in the area
- The type of vehicle involved
- The type of collision
- The severity of any injuries
- The severity of the crash
- The weather conditions
- The lighting conditions
- Photos of the accident scene
- Factors involved in the accident, such as distraction or impairment
- A description of how the accident happened
Additionally, the officer will designate the vehicles involved as Unit 1 or Unit 2. A Unit 1 designation means the officer knows or believes the listed vehicle is at fault. The officer must list the striking vehicle as Unit 1 if the fault is unclear.
The officer must submit the official report to the Illinois Department of Transportation within 10 days of the accident.
Illinois Automobile Accident Law Firm
If you were injured in a car crash in Illinois, an experienced personal injury lawyer can guide you through the process of seeking the compensation you need to cover your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses arising from the accident. The team at Bonifield & Rosenstengel, P.C., is dedicated solely to helping the disabled, ill, or injured – we’re proud to serve the people, not the powerful. When you hire us to represent you in your personal injury case, you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us today to get started with a free consultation.