Can I get police accident report without paying £88?

[Jono]

Hi Guys.

 

Wondered if someone in the trade could help me with some advice.

 

Recent RTC where I'm pursuing a no-fault claim. 

 

I believe the facts in the police report will be influential and in my favour.

 

I know my insurers can get it for £88, but I'd like my own copy asap, and I'm sure there must be a way to get it without having to pay the full fee.

 

Data Protection perhaps? Freedom of Information Request?


Facts not opinions please chaps.

 

Ta,

 

 

[Ant FR]

Hi Guys.

 

Wondered if someone in the trade could help me with some advice.

 

Recent RTC where I'm pursuing a no-fault claim. 

 

I believe the facts in the police report will be influential and in my favour.

 

I know my insurers can get it for £88, but I'd like my own copy asap, and I'm sure there must be a way to get it without having to pay the full fee.

 

Data Protection perhaps? Freedom of Information Request?

Facts not opinions please chaps.

 

Ta,

 

Freedom of information would not cover that nor data protection.  You will have to pay the admin fee for the force you are claiming from which ranges from £70-90 depending on force,   ie west mid is   http://www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/media/287644/wmpcc-010-2014-fees-and-charges-booklet-2014-15-annex-a.pdf  or  

[Auric Goldfinger]

Ask your insurers for a copy, they no doubt will be claiming the fee from the other party

[Jono]

Thanks Ant.

 

Do you, or others, happen to know...

 

1) The turnaround time for the insurers to get a copy?

 

2) Do they get it electronically or hardcopy?

 

3) Am I "entitled" to see a copy? or do the insurers "own" it and only give me a copy as goodwill?

 

4) Do they always routinely request it? or will I have to badger them?

 

5) Is an officer allowed to discuss the content of their report - or must they direct you to pay an admin fee for a copy.

 

Cheers,

 

Jono

[Jono]

Oh, Another question...

 

6) Could *I* get a copy and then claim it as an uninsured loss against the other driver?

 

Ta

[JamesVRSmk3]

How long ago was the accident?

 

Reason I ask is when I had a no fault accident back in 2008 (rear ended at 40mph when I was stationary at traffic lights) police were passing and helped out, called paramedics etc. They took our details and a week later they sent me a letter detailing the accident, the other parties insurance, and the fact they feel they cannot prosecute the other driver. Do they not do this anymore or is it a more detailed report?

[mdon]

Jono, what type of RTC was it? A two vehicle damage only? Was there any injuries? Any damage to roadside furniture? Was there or are they pursuing a conviction?

Reason I ask is that there may be no report other than pocket notebook entries.

[Jono]

Jono, what type of RTC was it? A two vehicle damage only? Was there any injuries? Any damage to roadside furniture? Was there or are they pursuing a conviction?

Reason I ask is that there may be no report other than pocket notebook entries.

 

Collision on roundabout. Driver in left, straight ahead only lane turned right into the back wheel of me, in the right lane (of 2) going straight on, as per road markings.

Fast A-road roundabout, newly repainted with a change from 3 to 2 lanes.

 

Police called due to injury (to me) and possibly other driver.

 

No furniture damaged.

Damage to 2 cars.

 

No ambulance 

Officer said conviction unlikely, due to absence of other witnesses.

My skidmarks on roundabout from braking post collision.

I could drive away, other car *probably* could, but can't be sure, I left.

[dave_l]

If they uses the wrong Lane then you don't need the report, are they disputing it?

They must have hot you hard for injury so it must be obvious as to who's at fault

[Ootohere]

In the other post / thread you mentioned the fast A-Road roundabout.  Is there any speed restriction on that roundabout?

[Jono]

Yep, they are disputing it. 



I don't want to say too much though. It sounds like they may have changed their story. I suspect they will trip themselves up on a couple of points and I don't want to air them publically.

[Jono]

In the other post / thread you mentioned the fast A-Road roundabout.  Is there any speed restriction on that roundabout?

Yep, its a 40 - there are still cones everywhere and its just been repainted. It goes back up to National speedlimit later.

If your unwritten question was, "was I hooning it" - absolutely not, I was at an appropriate speed and I'm still trying to break my economy records everywhere I go!

 

[dave_l]

Just get your car repaired and let the insurance fight it out.

Just because your car has been damaged it's not compulsory to claim for personal injury (your other thread seems to say you want to even without injury)

[Ootohere]

Only asking as i did in the firsts post / thread the night of the accident,

because you said you called the police because you were both stopped in the right hand-side of a 70 mph A Road.

& someone was injured but did not go for any medical treatment.

 

The Insurance Call Handler does the same when you call in an Incident, they ask what happened.

[mdon]

Collision on roundabout. Driver in left, straight ahead only lane turned right into the back wheel of me, in the right lane (of 2) going straight on, as per road markings.

Fast A-road roundabout, newly repainted with a change from 3 to 2 lanes.

 

Police called due to injury (to me) and possibly other driver.

 

No furniture damaged.

Damage to 2 cars.

 

No ambulance 

Officer said conviction unlikely, due to absence of other witnesses.

My skidmarks on roundabout from braking post collision.

I could drive away, other car *probably* could, but can't be sure, I left.

I take it the officers didn't take any photos? Did you see them fill in a collision report book (it's green in my force and called a MGCRF)

Tbh I doubt they'll be much of a report stating who the officer(s) considers to be at fault.

[john999boy]

Topic now moved to Roadside Hotel.

[Jono]

Just because your car has been damaged it's not compulsory to claim for personal injury (your other thread seems to say you want to even without injury)

 

Dave, I think you have misunderstood or misread my post. I *absolutely do not* want to claim for a fictitious injury.

How did you get from  "I'm absolutely not suggesting hamming-up a claim" to me suggesting I would claim without injury?

[dave_l]

Legitimate discomfort and distress, are you really distressed? If that isnt the words of someone wanting to claim a few extra quid I don't know what is.

[Robshaw]

Hi Guys.

 

Wondered if someone in the trade could help me with some advice.

 

Recent RTC where I'm pursuing a no-fault claim. 

 

I believe the facts in the police report will be influential and in my favour.

 

I know my insurers can get it for £88, but I'd like my own copy asap, and I'm sure there must be a way to get it without having to pay the full fee.

 

Data Protection perhaps? Freedom of Information Request?

Facts not opinions please chaps.

 

Ta,

 

If you are indeed going for a no-fault claim and want this information ASAP then simply pay the fee.

 

Data Protection/FOI will not help you in this instance.

 

Moving forwards make sure that your insurance company have the full facts including:

- Pictures (Car(s)/Damage/Road Layout/Injuries)

- Description of incident include any drawings

- Police reports

- Hospital report (Have you been to a doctor since? - If not, go and make sure you get a copy of everything)

 

I'm currently in the process of trying to resolve a claim as 'no-fault' ( A lorry cut a corner on a blind bend and destroyed my car) it's resulting in me taking the other party to court. It's good to have all the facts.

[Jono]

Legitimate discomfort and distress, are you really distressed? If that isnt the words of someone wanting to claim a few extra quid I don't know what is.

 

Then we are going to have to disagree.

 

 I'm very ****ing distressed, thanks; in pain, highly inconvenienced and haven't slept properly since.

 

If you are the kind of person that wouldn't get upset about being in pain, unable to take part in your social life and hobbies, and staring down the barrel of 5-years increased premiums for all the insurance you buy through no fault of your own, then you are doing well and I salute you sir.

 

[Jono]

If you are indeed going for a no-fault claim and want this information ASAP then simply pay the fee.

 

Data Protection/FOI will not help you in this instance.

 

Moving forwards make sure that your insurance company have the full facts including:

- Pictures (Car(s)/Damage/Road Layout/Injuries)

- Description of incident include any drawings

- Police reports

- Hospital report (Have you been to a doctor since? - If not, go and make sure you get a copy of everything)

 

I'm currently in the process of trying to resolve a claim as 'no-fault' ( A lorry cut a corner on a blind bend and destroyed my car) it's resulting in me taking the other party to court. It's good to have all the facts.

Thanks for the advice Robshaw.

 

I now have a synopsis of the police report, but not the full report, I may let the insurers get the full one, or may pay myself, depends on the legal advice I get.

I'm assuming insurers would obtain relevant medical reports as appropriate. Medical reports aren't really issued at the point of care.

[Jono]

I take it the officers didn't take any photos? Did you see them fill in a collision report book (it's green in my force and called a MGCRF)

Tbh I doubt they'll be much of a report stating who the officer(s) considers to be at fault.

He took some photos on his Blackberry of the vehicles, not sure about the scene.

I think the most valuable thing was recording the other driver's account at the roadside, before she got a chance to be convinced that she did nowt wrong by her mates and create incorrect post-hoc memories.

[gadgetman]

Then we are going to have to disagree.

I'm very ******* distressed, thanks; in pain, highly inconvenienced and haven't slept properly since.

If you are the kind of person that wouldn't get upset about being in pain, unable to take part in your social life and hobbies, and staring down the barrel of 5-years increased premiums for all the insurance you buy through no fault of your own, then you are doing well and I salute you sir.

Both insurers to pursue your claim are likely to use the police report to decide on any injury payout. As in was an ambulance called, in their professional opinion could you have sustained the claimed injury etc etc.

Have you been to the doctors, hospital etc for your injury? If you haven't, why not?

Insurers are no longer simply paying out on injuries because so many abuse/abused it and now are being more demanding of evidence.

Someone I know who thought they were up for an easy few £K got zip in the end.

[Jono]

Records from A+E and GP should be available if needed. I declined blue-lighting at the scene but went to hospital later.

Cracked my head on the grab handle. Still have a stonking headache 72 hours later despite pretty optimal and potent analgesia.

[BJM]

Having been reading the various threads that you seem to have started on this incident, I have to confess that if I were settling this claim, based on the information provided so far I would be looking at 50 / 50 with each Insurer paying their own side.

 

This sort of "coming together" on a roundabout is one of the common causes of collisions, and in the absence of any Third Party witnesses, and the likelihood that attending Police took only minimal details, it is likely to end up as a "he says / she says" argument with no proof one way or the other.

 

Believe me, every Insurance claims handler hears dozens of these stories a week, and whilst you may be convinced that you are entirely blameless, you will have to prove that your version of events is the true one.

 

Do not kid yourself that the extent of the damage, or location of damage, to your car will "prove" anything - this is real life, not CSI.

Who recorded the other drivers account at the roadside, you or the Police, and how was it recorded? Little credence is paid to drivers' statements made immediately at the scene, as they are often shocked (not IN SHOCK) and not thinking clearly.

 

I put it to you that the TP was driving around in the left hand lane of the roundabout, possibly confused due to the alterations to the lanes and the presence of the road cones.

Instead of ascertaining what they proposed to do, you assumed, incorrectly, that they were going to immediately turn left, and decided to accelerate to pass them, and in doing so cut across their front so that they struck your rear nearside.

This manouever was carried out at considerable speed as evidenced by the skid marks left by yourself, and such was the lack of your awareness of the other road users that, by your own admission, you failed to brake until after the collision.

 

As regarding the pain and suffering - despite calling the police as you apparently suffered an injury, attendance by an ambulance was refused and 48 hours later you have still not sought medical treatment.

As for distress, having a car that is a bit bent is not going to be accepted as a legitimate reason foe suffering from distress. Had a partner, child or close family member been killed or seriously injured in the incident you might have a case, but a damage to a tin box, being in pain, temporarily being "unable to take part in your social life and hobbies, and staring down the barrel of 5-years increased premiums" just ain't going to cut it.

 

In my opinion you haven't got a snowball's chance in hell of getting a no fault claim through unless you can provide a hell of a lot more proof.