How to Get a Police Report After a Car Accident in Skokie, IL

Car accident police reports are crucial pieces of the puzzle for our attorneys when reconstructing motor vehicle crashes, determining liability, and gathering witness statements and other evidence to support compensation claims.

You may get a police report from the Skokie Police Department or the Illinois State Police, depending on which agency answered your 911 call. Submit a request form online containing your information and the accident’s details to get a report from the Skokie Police Department. You may be able to get a copy of the document in person, but should call ahead to confirm. With the report, we can confirm who was involved, identify witnesses, and gain a deeper understanding of the accident.

Get a free case assessment from our Skokie, Illinois car accident lawyers when you call the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 598-0014.

Who Can You Get a Police Report from After a Car Accident in Skokie, IL?

You need to contact the police department or law enforcement agency that responded to your 911 call after an accident, whether that is the Skokie Police Department or the Illinois State Police.

Skokie Police Department

If you call 911 after an accident on a residential road in Skokie, officers from the Skokie Police Department will most likely arrive. These officers will write and complete the accident report for the collision, meaning you would contact the Skokie Police Department for a copy of the report in the future.

Illinois State Police

If you call 911 after an accident on I-94, State Route 50, or U.S. Route 41 in Skokie, officers from the Illinois State Police Department may arrive if they are patrolling in the area. If officers from the Illinois State Police write and complete the accident report for your collision, you would contact that agency for a copy of the report in the future, not the Skokie Police Department.

The Skokie Police Department can also respond to 911 calls for accidents on local highways, so make sure you confirm which agency responded to the scene before you leave.

How Can You Request a Police Report for a Car Accident in Skokie?

For most car accident victims, it’s most convenient to request police reports online, although other retrieval options might be available.

Online Request

You can submit a request to purchase a crash report from the Skokie Police Department online. To get a report, you must provide your first and last name, driver’s license number and state, the accident’s date, the report number, and your insurance policy number.

You can also submit an online request to the Illinois State Police to receive a digital copy of your police report, and you must provide similar information.

In-Person Request

You may be able to obtain a crash report by visiting the Skokie Police Department in person. It’s a good idea to call beforehand to confirm the report is ready and available for retrieval before going so that you don’t waste a trip, especially if you are injured. Bring a form of payment with you if you pursue in-person retrieval.

Mail Request

The Illinois State Police accepts requests for crash reports via the mail, though this is not a preferred or convenient option for many victims. If you send a request through the mail, you must include a check or money order for $5 made payable to the Illinois State Police, the cost of an accident report.

How Can You Use a Police Report After a Car Accident?

Don’t underestimate the importance of getting police reports after car accidents, and allow our lawyers to explain all the ways we can use these documents when preparing your case in Skokie.

To Identify the Negligent Driver

We can use the police report to learn more about the negligent driver, whether you spoke to them and obtained their information or not. The report should contain their first and last name, driver’s license number, and insurance information. Accident reports also note the make and model of a negligent driver’s vehicle, damage to the negligent driver’s vehicle, and other important information our Skokie, Illinois car accident lawyers need to know when preparing a compensation claim.

To Identify Witnesses

When processing accident scenes, police officers may interview witnesses who stay nearby. Eyewitnesses are typically asked to provide their first and last names, as well as their contact information in case the police or the victim’s lawyer needs additional information. Witnesses can provide some of the most valuable evidence in the form of testimony, so finding and speaking to them is a top priority.

To Identify Contributing Causes

When we read the police report for an accident, we will identify all potential contributing causes cited by the police. While this information is not necessarily admissible as evidence in a lawsuit, it can inform the path our investigation takes and lead us in a particular direction.

In addition to potential contributing causes, police officers might note unlikely contributing causes. For example, if weather and road conditions played no part in the accident and it was entirely due to another driver’s negligence, the police report will note that the weather and road conditions were fair at the time.

Who Can Get Police Reports for Car Accidents in Skokie, IL?

Victims who sustain severe injuries might face real roadblocks to getting car accident reports themselves, and may need help securing these important documents in advance of their compensation claims.

In Illinois, all drivers involved in an accident, their insurance companies, and their attorneys may obtain police reports. This means our lawyers can retrieve a report on your behalf while you are physically recovering from your injuries so that you can focus on your health while we focus on your financial recovery.

Call Us After a Skokie, IL Car Accident

Call the Skokie, Illinois car accident lawyers of the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 598-0014 for a free case discussion.