Where Would I Find My Accident Report in Tampa

If you have been injured by another driver’s negligence, the accident must be reported if it leads to more than $500 in damages, which means that nearly every accident requires reporting. At the accident scene, the attending officer will do a preliminary investigation that goes into the crash report, and that can go on to support your car accident claim, which makes obtaining a copy of the report paramount. If a negligent motorist causes you to be injured in a car accident, an experienced Tampa car accident attorney is standing by to help.

The Accident Report

As mentioned, the police will write up a crash report at the scene of your accident that highlights their preliminary findings. It’s important to note that this report is not the final word on who is at fault for the accident in question, but it is a good place to start. Even if the accident report does not support your position on the matter, you should expect the at-fault driver’s insurance company to have a copy, which highlights why you should also have one.

Your car accident claim will be resolved in accordance with the facts and the evidence involved, and the accident report is a piece of the puzzle.

Obtaining Your Accident Report

In order to obtain a copy of your accident report, there are three primary options.

Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) is the State of Florida’s official crash record repository, and it governs both the completion and distribution of these reports. Points to keep in mind include:

It generally takes up to 10 days for crash reports to become available.
Crash reports are exempt from disclosure to the public for 60 days after filing, which means that only involved parties have access prior to this date.
There are criminal penalties for unlawfully disclosing confidential personal information from the reports accessed and for unlawfully attempting to obtain this confidential public information.

Once purchased, reports are made available immediately in the form of a downloadable link, which must be accessed within 48 hours of your request. The cost per report is $10, and there is also a $2 convenience fee for using the FLHSMV portal.

Tampa Police

You can also request a copy of a crash report through the Tampa Police Department at Tampa.gov, which will provide you with a downloadable link to which fees may apply.

Tampa Courthouse

The Hillsborough County Courthouse is the official custodian of many forms of public records and can help you access the crash report you’re looking for.

An Experienced Tampa Car Accident Attorney Is on Your Side

If you’ve been injured by another driver’s negligence, the crash report is important, but there’s a lot more to obtaining the compensation to which you are entitled. The distinguished Tampa car accident attorneys at Mickey Keenan P.A. are committed to building your strongest claim – in focused pursuit of an advantageous outcome that supports your fullest recovery. For more information about what we can do to help you, please don’t wait to reach out and contact or call us at 813-871-1300 today.