In North Carolina, in order to make liability claims for property damage and bodily injury in an auto accident, you must be able to prove who was at fault for the wreck. Reviewing the police report about your accident is one way the North Carolina auto accident attorneys at Henson Fuerst evaluate your case.
If your car accident meets certain conditions, a police officer will fill out a standard crash report form called the DMV-349. A series of numbers and codes in the report can help you understand the police officer’s observations, findings, and conclusions about your wreck.
In North Carolina, to file an insurance claim for bodily injury or major property damage to your car, you have to prove who was at fault. The time is critical; witness memories will fade, some of the crash scene evidence will get swept away and photographs need to be taken now.
That’s what makes the DMV-349 Crash Report so important. It is the legal record for your car accident and it contains nearly all the vital information necessary for making a claim. This video is a guide to help you understand the purpose of the DMV-349 and how we at Henson Fuerst use this report to help you.
The DMV-349 is filled out at the crash scene by the responding police officer. These reports are not filled out for every accident. In order for the police to fill out a DMV-349, the accident must involve:
If your accident meets any of these criteria, it’s important that you have our lawyers review the report right away. We can use the report to start building a case on your behalf.
The DMV-349 report is full of numbers and codes that describe the police officers observations, findings and conclusions about your wreck, such as vehicle speed, names and addresses of witnesses, information about the police officer, insurance information from both drivers, factors that may have contributed to the crash and the police officers narrative description of the accident.
Now sometimes, the police actually get some of the facts wrong or there are errors in the report. If that has happened in your case, don’t worry. Our lawyers and investigators may be able to gather evidence such as:
The sooner you call us, the sooner we can help.
Reading the DMV-349 can be confusing, but you’re not on your own. Our North Carolina auto accident lawyers read these forms all the time, and we can help you understand yours.
Call Henson Fuerst today at (919) 781-1107 or complete a free initial consultation form to find out how our team of experienced North Carolina auto accident lawyers can help you after an accident. When you call Henson Fuerst, you will speak with one of our experienced North Carolina Car Accident attorneys absolutely FREE. We will investigate every detail of your accident and fight hard to ensure that your rights are protected.