How Long Does It Take to Receive a Truck Accident Report?
Truck accidents are some of the deadliest on our roadways, and the losses generated tend to be immense. If you suffered an injury due to a truck driver’s negligence, proving their wrongdoing is a critical element of your claim, and doing so requires evidence that generally includes the truck accident report. One of the most important and first steps you should take, however, is consulting with an experienced Buffalo truck accident attorney as soon as you’re able to do so.
Truck Accident Reports in the State of New York
According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), motorists are required to file accident reports within ten days whenever the total damage caused by the crash exceeds $1,000. And when a massive semi is involved, this means virtually every accident. When the police are called to the scene, which – again – generally happens in every truck accident case, they’re also required to file an accident report.
Timing
While you can obtain a truck accident report immediately online – you’ll have to wait until it becomes available. Accident reports typically take from about 14 to 60 days before they make it into the DMV’s system. It’s a good idea to get a copy of all the reports available – including the police report, your report, and the truck driver’s report – to ensure you have all the information that the insurance company has. The DMV retains accident reports for four years from the crash date.
Do a Free Search to Ensure the Report’s in the System
To obtain truck accident reports online, you’ll need to perform a paid search, and the fee applies even if the reports aren’t available yet. This makes using the free search option prior to the paid search a good choice. To do so, you’ll need to input the New York county where the accident happened as well as the date of the accident. From here, you can search by the license plate number of one of the vehicles involved, including your own. If the reports are there, it’s time to do a paid search.
Conducting Your Paid Search
Once you’ve determined that the reports you need are ready for purchase, you can find them in the paid search portal by using one of the following:
- The DMV Accident Case Number.
- The driver’s license number of an involved motorist
- The license plate number of an involved vehicle
Each search you perform generates a $7 search fee, and you’ll pay $15 per certified report. This means that if you need certified copies of the police report, your report, and the truck driver’s report, you’ll be charged a total of $45 for the reports, plus $7 for the search. And while you can download the reports immediately, you’ll have to wait from about two weeks to two months for them to show up in the system.
Seek the Legal Guidance of an Experienced Buffalo Truck Accident Attorney Today
The compassionate Buffalo truck accident attorneys at Steve Foley Law Firm are well prepared to build your strongest claim in pursuit of just compensation that covers your full range of physical, financial, and emotional losses, and we’re standing by to help. For more information, please contact us online or call us at 716-575-3236 today.