Nevada law requires police officers to prepare an accident report summarizing their investigative findings. Additionally, drivers must self-report car accidents that law enforcement officers did not investigate. A crash report records the road users and vehicles involved and summarizes the traffic accident.
These reports provide essential information for your Las Vegas car accident lawyer if you need to pursue compensation for injuries. Thus, understanding how to obtain an accident report in Las Vegas, Nevada, is a critical step in the insurance claim and lawsuit process. Battle Born Injury Lawyers can help you interpret your crash report and use it in your case. Contact us today at (702) 570-9000 for a free consultation.
How Battle Born Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident in Las Vegas, NV
Battle Born Injury Lawyers has been helping injured people in Las Vegas, Nevada, for over a decade. Our attorneys have recovered over $100 million in settlements and court awards for accident victims like you.
After you suffer an injury in a traffic crash caused by another driver’s negligent behavior, a Las Vegas car accident attorney from our firm provides the following services:
- Listen to your story and analyze your rights under Nevada law
- Gather the crash report, medical records, and other evidence
- File an insurance claim with the other driver’s auto insurer
- Negotiate a fair payout, or file a lawsuit if negotiations fail
Insurers may fight your claim even when the crash report supports your version of the events. Contact Battle Born Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a Las Vegas personal injury attorney to discuss your crash and how we can prove the other driver’s liability for your injury-related losses.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
Accident Report Laws in Nevada
Under Nevada law, drivers must contact the police after any crash that produces death, injury, or property damage in any amount. If the police do not respond, the drivers involved in the collision must file a written report on an SR-1 form. This report is filed with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.
However, if the police respond to the crash, the drivers do not need to file an SR-1. Instead, the investigating officers will usually prepare an accident report.
Specifically, police officers must prepare accident reports for all crashes involving any of the following:
- Death
- Injury
- Damage of $750 or more to any one vehicle or piece of property
Additionally, officers will investigate crashes involving crimes, such as hit-and-run accidents.
How to Obtain a Copy of Your Crash Report in Las Vegas
The process for obtaining a copy of a crash report depends on which agency investigated the accident.
Specifically, the following law enforcement agencies each have a specific process for requesting a report:
Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP)
The NHP investigates crashes on state highways and interstates. It also provides backup for local police departments and sheriff’s offices. If the NHP investigated a fatal accident involving your loved one, you must obtain the report from the regional office where the crash occurred. The NHP’s Southern Command is located in Las Vegas.
For all other accidents investigated by the NHP, you can request the crash report online. You must have the crash number, the last name of one of the people involved, and the crash date. The NHP’s outside contractor charges $10 to provide an online accident report.
The same outside contractor also handles crash reports for the Henderson Police Department and the Boulder City Police Department. You will use the same procedure if your crash occurred in either of those jurisdictions.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD)
Since the Las Vegas Police Department merged with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, the LVMPD has provided law enforcement services for Las Vegas and the surrounding unincorporated areas, including The Strip.
If LVMPD investigated your crash, you can file a request online at the LVMPD’s website, in person at an LVMPD station, or through the mail.
The department charges $12 and requires the following information:
- Incident number
- Name
- Birthdate
- Phone number and email address
- Name of the person involved in the crash
- Collision date and time
- Location of the accident
- License plate number and state
If your request is accepted, the LVMPD will email a link to download your report. You can also request that your report be mailed or held for pick-up.
Using an Accident Report in a Las Vegas Accident Claim
The accident report will not state who is liable. However, it includes a narrative explanation and diagram that can help your lawyer prove liability.
For example, suppose that you were hit from behind in a rear-end collision. The report might indicate that the other driver was distracted by their phone and that the officer issued a citation. Your lawyer will use this information to prove that the other driver acted negligently in colliding with your vehicle.
Contact Our Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
A car accident report often provides the starting point for your injury compensation case. Contact Battle Born Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to learn about your right to pursue financial compensation for injuries caused by someone else’s negligent driving. Our Las Vegas car accident attorneys are ready to fight for your rights.
