When you are involved in a car accident, you must wait for the police to investigate the crash. The officers in Waukegan who investigate your accident will record the details in their report.
As a victim of the accident, you might not remember all the important details of the crash. Getting a copy of your police report can help fill in the gaps. A few police departments operate in Waukegan, but our lawyers can help determine which one investigated your accident and how best to obtain a report from them. Fortunately, you can get your report online regardless of who made the report. We might also be able to help you get a copy in person or by mail, depending on the agency that drafted your report.
Our Waukegan car accident lawyers at the Rhatigan Law Offices can provide a free case review when you contact us at (312) 578-8502.
Can I Get a Copy of My Police Car Accident Report Online in Waukegan, IL?
Getting your police report online is typically the most convenient option since you can do it from the comfort of your home. Three law enforcement agencies, the Waukegan Police Department, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Illinois State Police, have jurisdiction over car accidents in Waukegan. Fortunately, each one offers an online option to obtain an accident report. You can confirm who investigated your crash by checking the top left corner of your “motorist report,” which you should have received on the scene.
If the Waukegan Police Department drafted your report, you can obtain it online via LexisNexis’s BuyCrash site. After providing some basic information about the accident and paying a $13 fee, you can download your report. However, reports drafted before January 1, 2015, can only be obtained in person.
You can get a report made by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office using the Online Accident Report System provided by CrashLogic. Sheriff’s Office reports are also $13 per copy. Further, online reports are only available for crashes after March 31, 2011.
If your accident happened on a state municipal road or highway, the Illinois State Police probably has a copy of your report. You can obtain their reports using the EPay system, which charges $5 for a copy, including a minimal service fee.
Do I Need a Copy of the Police Report After a Car Collision in Waukegan, IL?
After a car accident in Waukegan, the police are dispatched to investigate the scene, interview witnesses, and potentially issue citations. The information the police gather, and their observations will be included in their finalized accident report. These reports serve numerous vital functions for many different parties. The state and insurance companies are interested in keeping up-to-date accident statistics as they help them set policy amounts. Attorneys also use them to get information about their clients’ cases that might not be found elsewhere.
The question of whether you should report your accident is settled, as all car accidents in Illinois must be reported to the police. In the past, relatively minor crashes did not need to be reported. Now, though, 625 I.L.C.S. § 5/11-407(a) requires those involved to report the accident to law enforcement regardless of the manner of the crash.
However, you will not get a final report on the scene. You will need to obtain a copy after the police complete it. If you suffered injuries in your car accident, insurance companies will typically require a report for proof of the accident before paying damages. Our Waukegan car accident lawyers can help you get a copy if you have trouble obtaining one independently. We will want a copy to process your claim, but we can also use it to identify witnesses to support your testimony and other parties we might sue.
Our team can also help you determine which police department investigated your accident if you are unsure since you will need to get your report from that agency. Further, the options to recover a copy will differ depending on the agency’s procedures.
Can I Visit in Person to Obtain My Police Report After a Waukegan, IL Car Accident?
In some cases, it might be more convenient to get your report in person. You can pick up your police report after three business days following your accident from the Waukegan Police Department by visiting the Records and Traffic Division. It is located on the first floor of Waukegan City Hall, 100 N Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Waukegan, 60085, and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Reports obtained in person are cheaper than online ones, only costing $5 per copy.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office also offers in-person pickup at 25 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Waukegan, 60085, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Standard reports cost $5 a copy. If the police investigated a major crash involving accident reconstruction, the report would cost $20 per copy. Their reports are typically available five to seven days after the crash.
Currently, you cannot get a report in person from the Illinois State Police.
Can I Mail in a Request for a Waukegan, IL Car Accident Police Report?
You can also mail in a request for a police report from either of the three departments. For Waukegan Police Department reports, mail a $10.00 check or money order made payable to the “City of Waukegan,” along with your name and return address, to the city address above.
Requests for Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports must be mailed to the county address above and include a check or money order for the required amount.
Mail requests to the Illinois State Police can be sent to 801 South 7th Street, Suite 600-M, Springfield, IL 62703. You must include a $5 check or money order and a stamped return envelope.
Call Our Waukegan, IL Car Accident Lawyers to Get and Review Your Police Report Today
Call the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502 for a free case assessment with our Waukegan personal injury attorneys.
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