by Zayed Al-Sayyed

Car accident attorneyNovember 29, 20240 comments

How Do I Find Out About Local Car Accidents?

Unfortunately, car accidents are common, especially in Phoenix. This might leave you questioning, “How do I find out about local car accidents?” There are three main ways you can find out about local car accidents: hospitals, police departments, and personal contacts.

In this article, we’ll explore each of these three methods in more detail, giving you the insights needed to find out about local car accidents.

How Do I Find Out About Local Car Accidents?

Finding out if a family member or friend was in an accident can feel overwhelming. Here are three methods you can use:

Local Hospitals

In serious car crashes, injured parties will be transported to a local hospital or medical facility. This makes calling around to local hospitals the best place to start. Contact hospital and medical facilities near the area where your family member, friend, or loved one was traveling.

Remember, medical professionals can’t give out personal information due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, they can generally tell you if a patient is at the facility if you have a name.

Police Departments

The next avenue you can use to find out about local car accidents is through the police department. Most accidents will have a law enforcement officer on the scene, helping injured parties, creating a car accident report, and managing traffic.

You can try calling the police department to see if they have any recent calls about accidents in the area your loved one was traveling. There can be lags in information. For example, an officer might not have all of the details about who was involved in the accident right away.

Personal Contacts

Finally, you might be able to track down information about an accident from close contacts. If you are unable to contact the individual directly, call family members and friends. They might have information, especially if they are listed as an emergency contact.

Finding Information on Past Accidents

Most car accidents will require a law enforcement officer to generate a written report about the details, including the involved parties, the date, what caused the accident, any fatalities or injuries, and the damage occurred.

Check the website of your local police department to find recent accident reports. In some cases, you might need to request a report. Remember, pulling an accident report can take time. For example, it’s not uncommon for a report to be open for a few weeks while officers conduct investigations.

Nevertheless, obtaining a copy of your car accident report can help you submit insurance claims and be used as evidence in court proceedings. It’s important to keep in mind that police reports aren’t legal verdicts on the accident. If you believe you or your loved one wasn’t at fault for the accident or are trying to recover damages, it’s best to contact a Phoenix accident attorney.

Reach out to our team at the Law Office of Zayed Al-Sayyed today to schedule your free consultation.