Handling the many challenges that occur after a car accident can be frustrating, and some people struggle to obtain a car accident report. They may need help locating the report due to confusion over jurisdiction, especially if the accident happened outside of city limits.
The responding officer at the scene will typically provide those involved in the accident with a case number. This piece of paper should say which agency responded, but if it isn’t clear, or you’ve misplaced the paperwork, here are some tips on finding the right agency:
- Car accidents within a city are typically handled by that municipality’s police department.
- Outside of the city, the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) or a local county sheriff’s office may attend to accidents.
- If you were in York County but not in a city, the York County Sheriff’s Office may have addressed your collision.
You can find a list of pages detailing how to get a car accident report from other South Carolina law enforcement agencies here.
How Can You Obtain a York County Sheriff’s Office Car Accident Report?
In Person or By Mail
Accident reports for the York County Sheriff’s Office are maintained at the Moss Justice Center. You can visit the Center during regular business hours or mail a request to:
1675 York Hwy
York, SC 29745
Please bring your photo ID and any paperwork you received at the scene. If you don’t have a case number, you’ll need to provide as much information as possible about the collision, such as the date, time, location, and your name and involvement.
Online
The Moss Justice Center does not maintain an online portal for retrieving accident reports, but you can place an online request using this form. Please include your name, address, phone number, and email address.
A drop-down menu on this form asks, “Who would you like to contact?” Select “Records Services Supervisor” from this list.
Finally, in the Questions/Comment box, include all your information about the collision, such as the case number and when and where it occurred.
What Should You Look for on a Car Accident Police Report?
The beginning of the police report consists of facts about the collision. Here are some examples:
- Names of both drivers, plus their contact information and driver’s license numbers
- Vehicle Identification numbers, or VINs, for all involved vehicles
- License plate numbers of involved vehicles
- Drivers’ insurance company names and policy numbers
After confirming that this information is correct to the best of your knowledge, you can move on to the rest of the form.
In one section, the responding officer describes how the accident occurred and draws a rough diagram. They do so by interviewing the involved parties and observing evidence at the scene, like vehicle damage, debris, or tire marks.
For example, the length of skid marks on the pavement can give investigators an idea of a vehicle’s approximate speed just before the accident.
Additionally, the car accident report contains a lengthy section on “contributing factors” for the collision. Often, multiple factors are involved, and the officer may check several boxes.
Some factors are “acts of nature,” like weather or animals darting into the road.
However, there are also many potential human errors in the contributing factors section, which may be attributed to you, the other driver, or both of you. Common contributing factors include:
- Speeding
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Distracted driving (often involving phones, but could be anything that takes your focus off the road)
- Drunk or impaired driving
- Drowsy or tired driving
- Failure to yield
- Errors when turning or changing lanes
- Ignoring road signs or other traffic violations
- Reckless driving (excessive speeds over 25 MPH over the limit, racing, peeling out, not stopping for law enforcement, etc.)
- Aggressive driving or road rage (which includes many other infractions, such as speeding and tailgating, that are meant to intimidate other drivers)
What if I Think the Police Report Is Incorrect?
Frequently, clients express concern that they were unfairly assigned responsibility for a contributing factor. Or, they might believe the officer overlooked another driver’s errors.
These mistakes can affect how the insurance adjusters decide fault in the collision. If you believe something is wrong, please speak with a seasoned car accident lawyer immediately.
Sometimes, we can find additional evidence to support the client’s assertions and then challenge the police report.
Another common concern stems from the client wondering if they are actually at fault. Sometimes, people tell us they think they caused the accident because they made an error.
Anyone can make a mistake, even those who put every effort into driving carefully. However, not every mistake causes a car accident.
Even if you made a mistake and experienced a collision, your mistake is not necessarily the cause or the only cause. It’s possible your error did not affect the crash or was only one contributing factor.
In South Carolina, an injured person who contributed to the accident can still recover some damages if they are less than 50 percent responsible. For this reason, we urge you to seek legal advice and only discuss the situation with your lawyer.
Do not admit fault at the scene or when speaking to the insurance company. (If possible, hold off on making a statement to the insurance agent until you talk to your attorney.)
Where Can I Get Help With My Car Accident Report?
Please contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm for a free consultation about your report and car accident. If you’re having difficulty locating the report, our team can assist you.
Once we have the South Carolina police report, we’ll review it, answer your questions, and outline the options for pursuing damages.
Attorney Ali Awad founded the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm and transformed it into one of the fastest-growing law firms in the country. He and his team have over twenty years of combined experience and have helped millions of injured people and their families get the settlements they deserve.
When Mr. Awad isn’t busy working on a case, he posts down-to-earth legal advice for over a million followers on social media. You, too, can work with Attorney Awad when you call (864) 664-3865.
