It is immensely vital to act quickly after being involved in a Kentucky motor vehicle accident. Among the most important pieces of evidence following a crash is the official collision report. Keep in mind that your medical expenses would start to add up pretty quickly, especially if you suffered serious injuries. The quicker you can get the collision report, the faster you could start your claim and recover compensation.
Working with a skilled Kentucky motor vehicle accident attorney could likewise help you get the report quicker and ensure that you obtain proper compensation for all your accident-associated damages.
What’s In This Guide:
- What is an Accident Report?
- Why this Report is Important
- What information is recorded in Kentucky Accident Reports?
- Ways to Get A Copy Of Your Report On-Line In Kentucky
- FAQs
What is an Accident Report?
A crash or accident report in Kentucky is officially known as the KSP 74 or Kentucky Uniform Police Traffic Collision Report. All the law enforcement officers use this to report all traffic crashes to the state police. The police officer that investigated the accident scene must record all the details of the accident in this collision report.
Why this Report is Important
Take note that you must have a collision report to file an insurance claim following a motor vehicle accident in Kentucky. The state follows the no-fault auto insurance system, which means that injured drivers must file their claim with their own insurance provider under their Personal Injury Protection or PIP insurance coverage, which all drivers in Kentucky must carry and maintain.
The state requires drivers to have up to $10,000 in PIP coverage for each individual and each accident for medical bills and other qualified out-of-pocket costs the driver incurred because of an injury. Insurance providers must pay PIP benefits, regardless of who caused the accident but only up to the plan’s limits.
But if the motor vehicle crash resulted in medical expenses exceeding $1,000, broken bones, permanent injury, permanent disfigurement, or death, the law allows you to pursue compensation from the other driver through a personal injury lawsuit. You could then pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other expenses due to your injuries and the accident.
Put simply, the accident report serves as the starting point for collecting evidence your lawyer can use for substantiating an insurance claim, personal injury claim, or wrongful death suit. Depending on the details included in the report, it might help prove fault and liability for the accident.
Additionally, data from accident reports could be used to:
- Improve dangerous intersections and highways.
- Identify specific locations where most traffic crashes occur.
- Develop safety road programs to help minimize accidents and save lives.
What information is recorded in Kentucky Accident Reports?
Collision accident reports in Kentucky typically include the following information:
- All the names, phone numbers, and addresses of everyone involved, which includes passengers and witnesses
- All the drivers’ license information
- All the license plate numbers, registration numbers, year, model, and make of all vehicles involved in the accident
- The contact details for all drivers’ auto insurance providers
- Specific damage to the vehicles and other property as well as their estimated repair or replacement costs
- The location, time, and date of the motor vehicle accident
- The road and weather conditions when the accident occurred
- Information on traffic control devices, such as traffic lights and stop signs, at the accident scene
- Whether the responding officer issued any fines or tickets and why
- A detailed diagram and a written description of the accident
Ways to Get A Copy Of Your Report On-Line In Kentucky
Collision reports are among the most regularly requested documents from the Kentucky State Police (KSP). You could get your collision report from the KSP post where your accident occurred. To determine the post counties and areas, head to http://kentuckystatepolice.org/post-locations/.
You can obtain a copy of the report online by using the Buycrash website. You can likewise send an email to ksp.openrecords@ky.gov and request a copy of the report from the KSP Official Custodian of Records.
FAQs
When should you file a Report?
If a law enforcement officer didn’t attend to the crash, you must file a collision report on your own within 10 days of the crash, if the following are true:
- The crash resulted in property damage amounting to more than $500.
- The crash resulted in personal injury, or people involved in the crash complains of discomfort or pain following the accident.
- Someone was killed in the crash.
You can file your report through the KSP’s Civilian Collision Report Portal.
If I don’t know who hit me, can I still fill out a Civilian Collision Report?
If the conditions for self-filing a collision report are met, yes. For instance, if your parked vehicle was damaged, you could fill out your details in “Unit 1” and place “UNK” for the “Unit 2” name. You could then include details of the scene.
What happens if I don’t report my accident?
If you don’t report the accident and also fail to file an accident report with the KSP, you could face a fine of $20 up to $100. Remember that you must have a collision report on file with KSP to file a claim with your auto insurance provider following an accident. So without it, you won’t be able to file a claim to obtain your PIP benefits or initiate a personal injury lawsuit.
What if I do not know the location of where my vehicle was damaged? Can I still complete the collision report?
Yes, as long as your accident meets the self-filing conditions. For example, if you saw the damage at a different time or day, you could enter the specific city or county where the crash occurred. Otherwise, you can just put “UNK”.
How do I contact the Kentucky State Police Civilian Collision Records Section?
You can get in touch with the Kentucky State Police Civilian Collision Records Section by calling 502-782-9929 or sending an email message at kspciviliancollision@ky.gov.
If a police officer responded to my collision do I need to fill out a Civilian Collision Report as well?
You don’t need to file your own report if a law enforcement officer responded to your accident and indicated that they’ll be creating the report. You do need to wait 10 days or so for the officer to complete the report and to request it from KSP.
Speak to a Skilled Kentucky Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer Today
Injured in a motor vehicle crash in Kentucky? The Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers can help ensure that the collision report is on file with the KSP, investigate the crash, and build a strong case for the compensation you’re entitled to. Our top Kentucky motor vehicle accident lawyer will negotiate with the other party and relevant insurance providers to safeguard your right to fair compensation.
To talk to our skilled Kentucky motor vehicle accident lawyer, you can contact us online or call 866-988-1285 and arrange a free review of your case.
