ArticlesIf you sustained injuries in a Santa Monica motor vehicle collision, you could be entitled to pursue legal action against the at-fault party.
If you are successful in pursuing a claim, you could recover compensation for your injuries and other damages. Your Santa Monica accident report will play a key role in documenting your case.
Understanding how to obtain a Santa Monica police report can help get you started on the legal process. It is important to understand, however, that you don’t have to track down the accident report yourself.
Contact a Santa Monica car accident attorney from the Farzam Law Firm for help. Our experienced team of personal injury attorneys can take care of every aspect of your case—including getting a copy of your accident report—so you can focus on recovering from your injuries.
What to Do After a Santa Monica Car Crash
After an accident, dial 911 (or ask a bystander to do so) if it appears anyone sustained injuries. You can also call the Santa Monica police non-emergency dispatch center at 310-458-8491.
An officer will come to the scene, take statements from the involved parties and witnesses, and use that information to file a police report.
If you can collect information yourself at the scene, it is important that you do so. Although the police officer will attempt to document the accident thoroughly, you could capture critical evidence that the police might miss.
Take photos, gather contact information from witnesses, and exchange information with other involved parties. Once you’re done, go immediately to the emergency room or urgent care to get checked out.
After you seek medical evaluation and treatment for your injuries, you can set about the process of getting your accident report.
How to Request a Copy of a Police Report in Santa Monica
Santa Monica accident reports are available approximately 7 to 10 days after the date of the accident. To obtain a copy of a police report in Santa Monica, you must mail a written request.
Begin by downloading and completing the Application for Release of Law Enforcement Records form. Mail the completed form, along with a check or money order for $3, to the following address:
Santa Monica Police Department
Attn: Records
333 Olympic Drive
Santa Monica, CA 90401
The Records department will mail your report in approximately 10 days. Although you cannot request a Santa Monica crash report by phone, you can call the Records division with questions at 310-458-8431.
It might be helpful to call before mailing your request, to ensure that the process, fees, or mailing address haven’t changed.
Be careful about clicking any links telling you how to get a Santa Monica accident report online. Currently, the Santa Monica Police Department does not offer an option for ordering or obtaining police reports online.
Don’t provide any personal or financial information on any link that claims otherwise.
Talk to a Santa Monica Injury Accident Lawyer Now for Free
Getting Santa Monica police reports isn’t especially difficult. However, if you’re dealing with the aftermath of an injury accident, it might be the last thing you feel like doing.
Before you attempt to deal with a legal claim on your own, contact an experienced car accident attorney for help.
The Southern California personal injury attorneys of the Farzam Law Firm offer a no-cost consultation and case review for Santa Monica injury accident victims.
Contact us now to schedule a consultation or to request help getting your Santa Monica accident report.
Joseph Farzam
Mr. Farzam attended Santa Monica high school and worked at McDonald’s and local coffee shops to support himself. Although he worked 2 or 3 jobs, he valued education greatly and earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Northridge in biology, and attended the prestigious Pepperdine University School of Law. He graduated with high marks and passed the California bar exam on the first try. Mr. Farzam has received the coveted titles of Super Lawyer, Los Angeles Magazine’s Top Lawyers, and has received The Litigator Awards. He is a proud member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) and California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA).
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