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You can look up your accident report in Florida by going online to the Florida Crash portal and purchasing a copy. Please note that access to these reports is limited to listed parties and entities only. The link will be sent to your email address in a zip file and must be downloaded within 48 hours. Law enforcement agencies have ten days to submit their reports. Therefore, search results may not contain reports on accidents that happened before that.
Obtaining this report is only part of the personal injury process. To recover the compensation you deserve, you will need an attorney to build a strong case for negligence. At Kogan & DiSalvo, contact a Florida car accident lawyer for a free consultation. We could review your case and determine if you have a viable personal injury claim based on the cause of your accident in Florida.
Who Keeps Crash Records in Florida?
The good news for anyone seeking a copy of a crash report is that these records are generally kept in the same place. However, in some states, you would have to contact the specific law enforcement agency responsible for handling your accident–from a state highway patrol to a small local police force.
However, it is more accessible in Florida. The state operates the Florida Crash Portal. Overseen by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, this online portal combines crash reports from virtually every law enforcement agency within the state.
How to get crash records
As noted above, you can obtain a crash record from the Florida Crash Portal here. Once in the portal, you will be notified that only certain parties are eligible to purchase them. To qualify, you must have been a party involved in the crash, one of their authorized representatives, such as your attorney or insurance company. For most people, this involves showing that you were in the accident in question. You will be required to provide a driver’s license number to prove your eligibility.
There are also fees involved with obtaining these filings. You will need to pay them upfront. Then you will have the option to search for your report in several ways. This could include searching by your last name, the report number, or the vehicle identification number (VIN).
Why would I need the accident report?
There are many important pieces of information available in these reports. In many cases, it is the only place you will find these details. Some of the information you or your attorney might need includes the following:
- Parties Involved. The report will name all of the parties involved in the accident. This includes the vehicle they were driving and their insurance information. If you did not get contact info at the scene, the information in the report could allow your attorney to contact the other driver or their insurance company.
- Date and location. It will also include the basic details surrounding the accident. This includes where the crash happened, what day it occurred, and what time it was.
- Weather Conditions. A report could also inform your attorney of the conditions at the time of the accident. This includes whether or not the weather was a factor in the crash. A report could also mention traffic and road conditions when they are relevant.
- Admissions of fault. Police will typically take a statement from both drivers. If the other party admitted to fault, the officer will include that in the report.
Contact Us at Kogan & DiSalvo for a Free Consultation
When you need a police report and want to pursue the compensation necessary to heal and rebuild your life after a collision, contact us today for a free consultation. Put your trust in our team of veteran injury attorneys for aggressive and compassionate client-focused advocacy that gets results. We work on a contingency basis, so there are no upfront legal fees.
