How to Get a Copy of a Police Report in South Carolina
If you were injured in a car accident in South Carolina, a police accident report can be a valuable piece of evidence in a future claim for compensation. The report provides the official details of the crash and other information that can be useful when your lawyer begins to investigate your case.
Understanding the forms that you receive from the police officer after the wreck will go a long way toward protecting your rights to compensation. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the FR-10 Form?
You should have received a green FR-10 Insurance Verification Form from the officer who responded to the car accident. This is not the police report. This is a form that must be submitted to your insurance company as soon as possible, regardless of who was at fault for the crash. It verifies that you have liability insurance as required by South Carolina law.
The FR-10 must be mailed to the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) within 15 days of the crash. Your insurance company will submit this form electronically.
What’s in a Police Accident Report?
You will also be given a preliminary police report at the accident scene. This will contain basic information about the crash, such as the names of those who were involved and the time, date, and location of the crash. While useful, the preliminary report will not provide enough detail to be helpful in a claim for compensation. For that, you’ll want to get the official police accident report.
The official report will include information such as:
- Date, time, and location of crash
- Name, address, driver’s license number, and insurance company of every driver involved in the wreck
- Estimated property damage, with a pictorial diagram
- Basic information about the drivers and passengers, including whether they suffered any injuries or were wearing seat belts
- Sequence of events
- Alcohol or drug test results
- Other possible contributing factors that led to the crash
How to Request a Copy of Your South Carolina Police Accident Report
To request a more comprehensive police accident report, you need to complete the Form FR-50 (Request for Collision Report) from the SCDMV. This can be returned to any branch office for a fee, or you can send $6 and the form to:
SC Department of Motor Vehicles
Titles Mail-in Unit FR-50
PO Box 1498
Blythewood, SC 29016-0050
How Stewart Law Offices Can Help
Many steps must be taken after a car accident. Obtaining a police report is just one of them. The good news is that you don’t have to handle everything on your own. The South Carolina car accident lawyers at Stewart Law Offices can prepare your claim, negotiate aggressively with the insurance company, and resolve any disputes that may arise.
Our office has four locations in South Carolina, including Rock Hill, Columbia, Spartanburg, and Beaufort.** For a free consultation, call or contact us today.