Accident ReportsAn accident report is crucial evidence in a legal case. Accident reports establish important information that will come in handy during settlement discussions and at trial. Accident reports typically include:
- Names and contact information of parties involved in the accident;
- Injuries suffered in the accident;
- Whether the parties involved were wearing seatbelts;
- The time and date of the accident;
- The location of the accident;
- Road and weather conditions;
- Insurance information for the drivers; and
- The officer’s opinion of the cause of the accident.
As you can see, information contained in the accident report can make or break your legal claim.
If you suffered injuries in an automobile accident but have not obtained your accident report, some ways to do so are listed below.
Austin Police Department Accident Reports
The Austin Police Department has jurisdiction over the city of Austin. The Austin Police Department completes a majority of the accident reports in Austin for collisions that occur inside city limits. APD provides multiple avenues for obtaining your accident report, which are listed below.
In Person
You can purchase Austin crash reports in person between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4 PM, Monday through Friday, at the Austin Main Police Headquarters, located at 715 E. 8th Street. To receive a crash report in person, the Report Sales office requires a case number.
Online
Austin Police Department accident reports are available for purchase online through LexisNexis BuyCrash. You must include at least two of the following, in addition to the state and jurisdiction of the accident:
- Last name of involved party,
- Date of incident, and
- Street address.
Otherwise, you can submit the report number.
An Austin police accident report can be requested through the mail. Send $6 and a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:
Austin Police Department Report Sales
P.O. Box 689001
Austin, TX 78768
Accident Reports Outside Austin City Limits
As the population around Austin continues to rise, the suburbs are growing as well. Several car accidents that occur near Austin may not be in the city itself. It is vital to know the agency that completed your crash report to make your request.
TxDOT Crash Report Online Purchase
Texas law requires police officers to document traffic accidents that involve an injury or property damage over $1,000 by filling out a car accident report, also known as a CR-3 form. The CR-3 must be submitted to the Texas Department of Transportation within 10 days of the accident.
The Texas Department of Transportation allows certain people to request the CR-3 through an online database.
A CR-3 report can be released only to parties directly connected to the accident. This typically includes:
- A person that was in the accident, whether as a driver or a passenger;
- An authorized representative of a person in the accident, such as an attorney;
- An employer, legal guardian, or parent of a person in the accident;
- Someone with financial responsibility for a vehicle involved in the accident, such as an insurance policyholder; and
- The company that insures the vehicle.
These restrictions prevent uninterested parties from obtaining any CR-3 they wish and viewing the private information included in the report.
The database requires payment of a fee prior to retrieving the Austin accident report.
CR-3 Accident Report by Mail
CR-3 crash reports can also be obtained by mail. Fill out the Request for Peace Officer’s Crash Report form and mail it to the Texas Department of Transportation with the required payment. A standard copy of a CR-3 is $6, while a certified copy is $8.
What If Authorities Did Not Complete a Report?
Police officers are not always required to complete an accident report. This typically occurs when the accident is very minor and no one is injured in the collision. In these situations, a driver involved in the accident should complete what is called a “blue form report.”
Completing Your Own Austin Crash Report
A blue form report is also referred to as a CR-2. The CR-2 must include relevant information about the accident, including:
- Location of the accident,
- Date and time of the accident,
- Vehicles involved,
- Property damage caused,
- Injuries sustained in the crash,
- Your statement about the accident, and
- Your signature.
Like police officers, you have 10 days to submit your CR-2 to the Texas Department of Transportation.
Contact The Zimmerman Law Firm
Retrieving your Austin, TX accident report is just one step in bringing a personal injury claim for harm suffered in a collision. Our experienced personal injury lawyers have obtained countless accident reports in Austin for our clients. With almost 100 years of combined experience, we put our knowledge and resources to work for you.
We prioritize our clients’ needs to recover the maximum compensation available to remedy the financial and emotional turmoil caused by your accident. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Michael Zimmerman
Michael was born in Houston, Texas. His education at Baylor and Texas State Universities earned him a Bachelor of Science degree in 1987. His major was in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. He finished his legal education at Texas Southern University in 1990, earning a Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1990.
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