Police reports, though not admissible in injury cases in Tennessee, can still be helpful. That’s why it’s always important to get a police report after an accident, especially if you require compensation.
Generally, police reports are not considered admissible evidence in Tennessee injury cases. That’s because much of the information within police reports is based on other people’s accounts and not witnessed by an officer first-hand. Despite that, getting a police report after an accident in Tennessee is important. Our attorneys can use a police report to build your case, learn crucial details, and uncover evidence based on the information within a report. Then, we can prove a negligent driver’s fault in an injury case in Tennessee using admissible evidence like eyewitness statements, security camera footage, photographs, and medical records.
We’re here to help injury victims in Tennessee recover the compensatory damages they deserve. For a free case evaluation with the Tennessee personal injury lawyers at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
Is My Police Report Admissible in a Tennessee Injury Case?
In Tennessee, law enforcement officials use police reports to document various accidents. Injury victims should call the police after sustaining injuries of any kind due to a negligent party so that officers can create a police report. Though important and helpful, police reports are not admissible in Tennessee injury cases.
According to T.C.A. § 55-10-114(b), any traffic accident reports completed by police officers cannot be used as evidence in a civil or criminal trial in Tennessee. As most police reports are based on hearsay, this rule generally applies to police reports made for any incident resulting in injury, not just car accidents. This was reinforced in an opinion from the Court of Appeals of Tennesse for the case Youngblood v. Solomon (1996).
In most cases, police officers arrive at an incident scene after an accident has occurred. Because they often do not witness negligence and injuries as they happen, police officers largely base the information within a report on other people’s accounts. That’s considered hearsay and is unacceptable evidence in an injury case in Tennessee. Law enforcement officials may be able to use police reports to refresh their memories while testifying in an injury case in Tennessee.
If you’re unsure whether or not your police report is considered evidence and what that might mean for your case, speak with our Knoxville personal injury lawyers. Our attorneys can explain your circumstances, investigate your accident, and use admissible evidence to prove a negligent party’s fault for your injuries in Tennessee.
Why Are Police Reports Important if They’re Not Admissible in Tennessee Injury Cases?
Even if the police report for your accident is based on hearsay, it can still be helpful to our attorneys when building a compensation claim against a negligent party. So, don’t think police reports aren’t important just because they’re not admissible in injury cases in Tennessee.
After an accident, victims may be unable to remember exactly what happened. When healing from your injuries, it may be difficult for you to confer with our attorneys and provide insight into an incident’s events. Using a police report, our Tennessee personal injury lawyers can begin piecing together what happened, identifying negligent parties, and finding out the truth.
Getting a police report for an accident that caused you injury is important. It not only serves as further documentation of an incident but also provides our lawyers with much-needed information. For example, police reports often include all involved parties’ names and insurance information, the accident location, and the accident time. Other details, like property damage and injuries to victims, can also be helpful to our attorneys when building your case against an at-fault party in Tennessee.
Although police reports may not be admissible in Tennessee injury claims, it’s still important for victims to call the police and document an accident. Our lawyers can then help you obtain a police report and use it to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Proving Fault When Tennessee Police Reports Aren’t Admissible in an Injury Case
Proving fault in an injury case in Tennessee without being able to use a police report as evidence is possible. In fact, our attorneys can still use a police report during the case-building stage to uncover useful evidence of fault. These reports can contain clues to evidence and information that is admissible in an injury case in Tennessee.
Eyewitness Statements
When completing a police report, law enforcement officials may include the contact information of eyewitnesses. Our Nashville personal injury lawyers can learn of eyewitnesses from a police report and get in touch with them. Their testimony of a defendant’s negligence can be invaluable evidence in an injury claim in Tennessee.
Security Camera Footage
Knowing the basic facts is important when building a case against a negligent party. Specific details, like an accident’s exact location, can point our attorneys toward useful evidence like security camera footage. Private security cameras, dashboard cameras, and doorbell cameras may have filmed your accident, depending on its location. Our lawyers can use that footage as evidence in an injury case, helping prove a defendant’s fault.
Photographs
After an incident that caused you injury, take photographs. If you were injured in a car accident in Tennessee, take pictures of property damage and all involved parties’ cars. If you were injured in a slip and fall accident, photograph the scene and the obstruction or hazard that caused your injuries. When in doubt, take pictures of everything. If you cannot take photos because of your injuries, ask eyewitnesses or first responders to do so for you. Coupled with additional admissible evidence, our Murfreesboro personal injury lawyers can use photographs to help you recover the compensation you need.
Medical Records
Connecting your injuries to a negligent party’s actions is important. Our attorneys can achieve this by using medical records as evidence in an injury case in Tennessee. This is most effective when victims visit the hospital immediately after an accident and seek continuous medical care in the days, weeks, and months following an incident in Tennessee.
Call Our Tennessee Lawyers About Your Personal Injury Case Today
If you were recently injured in an accident in Tennessee and require compensation, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Tennessee personal injury lawyers at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
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