Obtaining a Columbia, MO Police Report After a Car Accident – Why It’s Crucial for Your Case

About the Author

Ethan Charles (“EC”) Duckworth is the founding attorney of Duckworth Injury Law. EC earned his law degree from the University of Missouri - Columbia, where he graduated in the top 10 of his class and served as an Editor of the Missouri Law Review. EC currently serves as a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA) and is a graduate of the Ross T. Roberts Trial Academy. EC has represented hundreds of injury victims throughout his career resulting in tens of millions of dollars in compensation recovered. 

A Police Report Is a Vital Piece of Evidence in Any Columbia Car Accident Case. Demand a Report Be Taken at the Scene & Contact EC Duckworth to Represent You in Court

After a serious car accident, motorcycle accident, or truck accident, in Columbia, MO, law enforcement personnel will likely quickly respond to the scene of the crash. In Columbia, that law enforcement personnel will often come from one (or more) of the following agencies: the Columbia Police Department, the University of Missouri Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol (Troop F), or the Boone County Sheriff’s Office. The specific agency that will respond to a motor vehicle accident generally depends on where the accident occurred and the severity of the crash. For example, a car crash on Vandiver Drive will likely result in the Columbia Police Department arriving to the scene, a motorcycle accident on Rollins St. on Mizzou’s campus will typically be handled by MUPD, a tractor-trailer collision on I-70 may be handled by the MSHP, and a pickup truck crash on Route K will probably be responded to by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Regardless of who responds to the scene, however, all of these law enforcement agencies typically have two major objectives in handling a car accident: (1) ensuring safety and rendering aid, and (2) investigating the accident. 

In Columbia Car Accident Cases, the Missouri Uniform Crash Report Is Crucial Evidence, Making It Vital for Any Car Accident Claim

Once the first objective is achieved (the area is secured, traffic is blocked off, EMS/medical personnel have arrived, injured parties are stabilized, and damaged vehicles are addressed), an officer’s attention turns to investigating the crash. In investigating the crash, the reporting officer will interview witnesses and the parties involved, take photographs of the scene and the vehicles, note the damage to the vehicles involved, document skid marks and vehicle resting positions, and check for contributing circumstances to the crash and potential violations (speeding, failure to yield, drug/alcohol impairment, etc.). This information is then compiled into a written report often referred to as a police report or crash report. In Missouri, a report pertaining to a motor vehicle accident such as a car, motorcycle, or truck accident is known as a Missouri Uniform Crash Report. A Missouri Uniform Traffic Crash Report is required to be completed if a traffic crash involves a death, personal injury, an apparent property damage of five hundred dollars or more to one person. See RSMo. § 43.250. 

For a Columbia car accident case, the evidentiary foundation of your case typically starts with the crash report. As such, it’s vital that a report not only be completed after your car accident, but that the report be completed thoroughly and accurately.

How is a Columbia police report used in my personal injury case?

First and foremost, a police report is used to obtain important background information about the crash and the parties involved. The report will provide information such as where the crash occurred, when the crash occurred, who was involved in the crash, and how/why the crash occurred. The report will also identify the names and contact information of the drivers involved and any witnesses to the accident. Missouri crash reports further contain a “Narrative Section” which includes statements from these individuals as to how the crash occurred. 

While a police report is not always admissible as evidence in Missouri courts (portions may be excluded from evidence as inadmissible hearsay), the report is still valuable to your case. For one, many cases are resolved via settlement negotiations outside of court. As such, the police report is often used as part of those settlement negotiations to establish liability against the other party. The report will contain the police officer’s summary of the crash as well as the police officer’s opinion as to “probable contributing circumstances” to the crash. These probable contributing circumstances are essentially what the officer believes a party did or did not do, which contributed to causing the crash. This information can be used as leverage when negotiating with the at-fault party’s insurance company. 

Second, the report provides a starting point for the discovery of other admissible evidence, based upon the findings within the report. For instance, the contact information for witnesses allows your personal injury lawyer to track down those individuals and obtain recorded statements as to how the crash occurred. Or the report may note that there is surveillance video of the car accident available, triggering your car accident attorney to subpoena the footage. 

Third and finally, there are portions of the police report which may be admissible if your case proceeds to trial. Portions of the report may be admitted as business records or to refresh a witnesses’ recollection, and statements of the parties may be admitted as admissions against interest. 

How do I ensure a crash report is completed after my car accident in Columbia, MO?

Oftentimes, a crash report will automatically be created by the reporting law enforcement officer following your car accident. As mentioned above, in accidents involving death, personal injury, or property damage greater than $500, a crash report is required to be completed. 

From time to time, however, we consult with potential clients where no crash report was made regarding their car accident. Typically, these cases involve car accidents where either the parties involved decided not to contact 911/law enforcement after the crash, or where the parties denied injury once law enforcement arrived at the scene. 

To ensure a crash report is completed after your car accident in Columbia, it’s important to call 911 immediately after your crash and to request law enforcement’s assistance. Once you’ve called 911, make sure you do not downplay the severity of your injuries. Oftentimes in serious car accidents, accident victims are in a state of shock and heightened adrenaline, whereby the scope and extent of their pain and injuries is masked. As such, if you are experiencing any pain, unusual symptoms, or have an observable injury, make sure both the 911 dispatcher and the reporting police officer are aware. Not only will this help to protect your physical wellbeing, but it will also help to ensure a crash report is completed. 

Note – Columbia Police Department has a non-officer division called “Community Service Aides”. These CSAs often arrive at suspected minor impact/non-injury car accidents in Columbia in lieu of Columbia Police Officers. Typically, these CSAs will not complete a Missouri Uniform Crash Report and will instead only make very basic notes regarding their investigation of the crash. As such, if you are involved in a Columbia, MO motor vehicle collision, request that an actual CPD Officer arrive at the scene and complete a crash report – not a CSA.

How can I obtain a copy of the police report for my Columbia, MO car accident? 

Prior to leaving the scene of the crash, the reporting law enforcement officer should provide you with a card containing the name of the law enforcement agency, the name of the reporting officer, and your case identification number. The case identification number can be used to order the report from the applicable agency. 

Most of the time, it takes one to two weeks for the crash report to be completed after your auto accident. In addition to filling out the report, the reporting officer’s work usually must be reviewed by a supervising officer. Once reviewed and finalized, the crash report will be available to pick up.

Depending on the particular law enforcement agency that investigated your car accident, you can typically obtain the report either in person, online, or by mail. Oftentimes, there is a small fee of $5-10 associated with obtaining the police report. The following links provide access/information for ordering your Columbia, MO car accident crash report/police report:

• Columbia Police Department
• University of MO Police Department
• Missouri State HW Patrol
• Boone County Sheriff’s Office

Your car accident personal injury lawyer should be able to provide you with a copy of your Columbia car accident crash report as well. 

EC Duckworth is Columbia, MO’s hometown car accident injury attorney. Contact him to secure a free case consultation today

Duckworth Injury Law is a mid-Missouri law firm headquartered in Columbia, Missouri. Founding attorney EC Duckworth grew up in Southern Boone County (just south of Columbia), attended both undergrad and law school at the University of Missouri, and calls Columbia home today. Duckworth Injury Law routinely litigates cases in the Boone County Circuit Court, and attorney EC Duckworth has appeared before every current Boone County Circuit Judge. 

Duckworth Injury Law is proud to serve as The Columbia, Missouri Personal Injury firm and as Columbia’s go-to car accident lawyer, motorcycle accident lawyer, truck accident lawyer, boat accident lawyer, slip and fall lawyer, or dog bite lawyer.

Reach out to Duckworth Injury Law today for a free consultation on your Columbia personal injury case.