CHP Reports: What You Need To Know 

David Muñoz | September 19, 2022 | Car Accidents

If a car accident results in significant property damage, injuries, or a fatality, there will likely be a police report. In fact, whenever any police department, sheriff’s office, or the California Highway Patrol responds to investigate a crash, there will be some report completed, photos taken, or other evidence collected.

These reports can provide useful information for you and your Chula Vista car accident attorney. If you need to file a claim for damages, an accident report can:

  • Help you evaluate the strength of your claim and case
  • Identify other parties who might be involved in your wreck
  • Help locate other witnesses who may have seen the crash or have information
  • Document any incriminating statements other drivers made

These reports can be useful in your car accident case, but only if you know how to use them and how to acquire them.

Steps To Obtain a Collision Report from the California Highway Patrol

If you were involved in a wreck as a driver or passenger, you can submit CHP Form 190 in person or by mail to a CHP office and request a copy of the collision report. Depending on the nature of the crash and whether there were any fatalities, it may take several days to several months before a report is available.

To complete the CHP Form 190, you’ll simply fill out the required fields of information. This includes providing the date and location of the accident, who was driving the vehicle, and how you were involved in the crash. 

You must also submit a fee with your request. The applicable fee depends on the length of the report and whether you want copies of any photographs that might accompany the report.

Information Contained in a CHP Crash Report

A CHP crash report will typically contain a considerable volume of information that can be useful to you and your claim for compensation. The first page of the report will list the names and identifying information of each driver involved in the crash. This page also includes: 

  • The vehicle each driver was operating
  • Insurance information for each driver
  • Whether any vehicle was damaged

The second page will record information about the crash itself. This would include: 

The third page of a CHP report provides information about the involved parties and witnesses to the crash. If you were injured in the crash, this page describes the extent of your injuries, what hospital you were transported to, and how you were taken to the hospital.

On the final page of a CHP report, you will find a diagram of the crash completed by the investigator. This provides a visual depiction of how the crash occurred based on what the officer could observe at the crash scene. The resting position of the vehicles, the location of traffic signs, and any skid marks or marks on the road would be examples of items recorded on this page.

CHP Reports Can Be Useful in Car Accident Claims

While it is not necessary for you to obtain a CHP report in order to file an insurance claim or car accident case, getting your hands on your report can be immensely helpful. Many attorneys will obtain their clients’ accident reports as a matter of course as a way to identify the important people involved in a crash.

Contact the San Diego Car Accident Law Firm of Mission Personal Injury Lawyers Today To Get More Information

If you’ve been injured in a car accident in San Diego or Chula Vista, please call Mission Personal Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer or contact us online.

We proudly serve San Diego County and throughout California.

Mission Personal Injury Lawyers
2515 Camino del Rio S Suite 350, San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 777-5555

Mission Personal Injury Lawyers – Chula Vista Office
690 Otay Lakes Rd #130, Chula Vista, CA 91910
(619) 722-3032

We also serve the state of Texas. Contact our personal injury law office in El Paso for legal assistance today.

Mission Personal Injury Lawyers – El Paso Office
201 E Main Suite 106, El Paso, Texas 79901
(915) 591-1000