What If My Georgia Car Accident Report Is Wrong?
You obtain the police report after a collision and notice something wrong: the vehicles are reversed in the narrative, an insurance entry is inaccurate, or your account of the crash is missing. For an injured driver in Tucker or elsewhere in Metro Atlanta, the next step is to identify the problem precisely and gather the information needed to explain it.
A request to correct a report should be specific, factual, and directed to the investigating agency. Do not edit the official report yourself or assume that disagreeing with it guarantees a change.
Get the complete report before requesting a change
Read the entire report, including the narrative, diagram, and any supplemental pages. Check that it is the report for your collision and that you have every page. A short exchange-of-information sheet handed to you at the scene may not contain the full investigation.
GDOT directs people seeking Georgia crash reports to BuyCrash or its mail-in request process. For a Georgia State Patrol investigation, the Department of Public Safety also provides a records-request process. Start by identifying which agency investigated the collision; the city or county where it happened does not, by itself, tell you who prepared the report.
Have the report number, collision date, location, and involved drivers’ names available. If a recent report cannot be found, ask the agency whether it has been completed before assuming no report exists.
Separate a factual error from a disagreement
Make a short list of the exact entries you believe are inaccurate. Include the page number, what the report says, what you believe it should say, and the material supporting your request.
Some issues are straightforward: an incorrect license plate, misspelled name, or vehicle description. Others concern disputed observations, such as the direction a vehicle was traveling or what a driver said. Explain those disagreements carefully without presenting assumptions as things you personally saw.
For example, a registration document may help establish a vehicle’s identifying information. A photograph may help explain vehicle positions, but note when it was taken and whether vehicles had already moved. If you do not know something, say so.
Ask the investigating agency about its review process
Contact the investigating officer or the agency’s appropriate records or traffic unit. Ask how to submit supporting documents and request review. Use the report number in your correspondence, and keep a copy of what you send and any response.
GDOT’s reporting instructions distinguish between correcting information already reported and adding new information. A change to an existing entry calls for a corrected report; new information calls for a supplement. The instructions require officers to submit a complete corrected or supplemented report, rather than only the changed fields.
That distinction helps you describe your request. Point out whether you are identifying an inaccurate entry or providing information the officer did not previously have. Ask whether a revised report has been submitted and how to obtain it. Do not assume a phone conversation means the official record has changed.
Preserve supporting material in its original form
Keep the original downloaded report and save any later version separately with the date received. Maintain original photographs and video files, not just screenshots or edited clips. Save relevant correspondence and witness contact information in the same organized folder.
If you know of nearby business cameras, dashcam footage, or other recordings, tell your attorney promptly. Identify the location and approximate time rather than assuming the footage will remain available. Do not enter private property or access someone else’s account to look for evidence.
Other agency records may require a separate request. DPS, for example, provides a process for requesting photographs and other records associated with its investigations. Ask for the specific material you need; purchasing a crash report does not necessarily provide every related record.
Keep the injury claim moving while the issue is reviewed
Do not put medical follow-up, correspondence, or a consultation on hold while waiting for a report correction. Keep accurate records of your symptoms, treatment, expenses, and communications. Let your attorney know about the disputed entry and provide both the report and your supporting material.
If an insurer refers to an entry you dispute, ask which page and statement it is relying on. Keep your response factual. Review the report together with photographs, witness information, and other available evidence rather than treating one disputed sentence as the whole account of the collision.
Discuss a report error with a Tucker injury attorney
MANGRUM & MANGRUM, LLC serves Tucker and Metro Atlanta. If you were injured in a Georgia collision and have concerns about the crash report, request a free injury consultation through our contact page or call (770) 496-1600. Bring the complete report, any revised versions, and the documents that explain your concerns.
This article provides general information. Contacting the firm or submitting a questionnaire does not create an attorney-client relationship.
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