When you are filing a legal claim to recover damages from another person after a car accident, you want as much evidence as you can get. One critical piece of evidence you will want to get is the police report for your crash.
You must report your accident after it happens, but obtaining the report later can be challenging if you cannot recall who prepared it. Bolingbrook has a combination of local police, sheriff’s offices, and state police operating in the town who can respond to a crash. Which one investigated your crash depends on whether it happened on a city road, in the counties, or on a highway. We can determine who to get the report from and how to get an unredacted copy if important details are blocked in it.
Our Bolingbrook car accident lawyers at the Rhatigan Law Offices can provide you with your free case assessment when you call us at (312) 578-8502.
Am I Able to Get a Copy of a Police Report for a Car Accident in Bolingbrook?
You have every right to a copy of your police report after a Bolingbrook car accident. After all, they are public records. However, it is your responsibility to report your crash under 625 I.L.C.S. § 5/11-407(a) and obtain a copy, which can be difficult if you are unsure which police department wrote the report. Our Bolingbrook car accident attorneys are familiar with the various law enforcement agencies in the area and can explain their methods to get your collision report. The Bolingbrook Police Department investigates some accidents, while others are inspected by the Will County or DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. If your crash happened on an interstate or highway, we can search the Illinois State Police for your report.
Bolingbrook Police Department
Most car accident reports in Bolingbrook are drafted by local law enforcement agencies. For instance, if you were hit on a local road within city limits, the Bolingbrook Police Department (BPD) likely responded to the accident. Unfortunately, the BPD provides no information regarding obtaining a collision report from it. While you can call (630) 226-8600 or email police@bolingbrook.com to confirm whether they have your report, our team can handle this task so that you can focus on your recovery.
Will and DuPage County Sheriff’s Offices
Bolingbrook is also located within both Will County and DuPage County. One of the two counties’ respective sheriff’s offices might have written your accident report if the crash happened in an unincorporated part of Bolingbrook.
Will County Sheriff’s Department (WCSD) crash reports can be obtained by mail or online. Online requests can be made through BuyCrash.com. Select Illinois and the WCSD as the jurisdiction. You should receive your report after providing basic information about you and the accident and paying the $13 fee. To get it by mail, send a written request along with a $5 check or money order to the following address:
Will County Sheriff’s Department
Traffic Division
16911 W. Laraway Road
Suite #101
Joliet, Illinois 60433
You can also get DuPage County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) traffic crash reports by submitting a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request online or mailing your request to the DCSO Records Division. You can email your FOIA request to FOIA@DuPageSheriff.org. It must include your name, phone number, email address, and response preferences, but it should also include details of the accident, like the date, time, and location. This information can also be mailed to:
DuPage County Sheriff’s Office
FOIA Officer
501 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, Illinois 60432
Fortunately, DCSO accident reports are free of charge for you since you are an involved party.
Illinois State Police
The Illinois State Police (ISP) typically has jurisdiction over accidents that happen on non-municipal roads, like highways and interstates. For example, if another person crashed into on I-55 or I-355, the ISP was likely the agency responsible for your report. ISP accident reports are typically available ten business days or more from the incident and can be obtained by mail or online via EPay.
Mail-in requests should include as much information as you can remember, like the crash report number, date, location, and names of the parties involved. You can find your accident report number in the upper right corner of the driver’s information exchange document if the ISP gave you one on the scene. If not, just include as much other information as possible, and our team can review it before mailing it out. Your request and a $5 money order or check can be mailed to the address below:
Illinois State Police
Patrol Records Unit
801 South 7th Street, Suite 600-M
Springfield, Illinois 62703
You must also provide the details discussed above to complete a request through the EPay system. Online reports are also $5, but you will also be charged a small convenience fee for the service. It must be noted, though, that you will not get your report immediately using the online method since the ISP needs time to redact it.
What Should I Do if I Need an Unredacted Copy of My Police Report After a Bolingbrook Car Accident?
As a general rule, accident reports in the state are “redacted,” or blocked out, before requests are approved, regardless of which department drafted the report, according to 5 I.L.C.S. § 140/1. What gets redacted depends on the details of the accident, but it is most common when an accident involves a minor. The information you need to see will be redacted if you request your accident report via the above methods without a subpoena or court order.
Our team can speak to the court on your behalf to ask the judge to sign an order or get a subpoena to submit with your request. Unredacted reports will cost the basic fee plus an additional $20 processing fee.
Call Our Car Accident Lawyers in Bolingbrook, IL Today for Help Getting Your Police Report and Filing a Claim
For a free case assessment with our Bolingbrook personal injury attorneys, call the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502.
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