Police report error after motor vehicle collision

Cyclists,

The police report for a recent collision says I caused the collision and the motorist's insurance agents are acting accordingly. Does anyone have experience with something like this? I can't get lawyer representation as long as the police report stands. I've sent a letter to the Highway Patrol responsible for the report requesting corrections to the errors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for reading,
 
Elliot, Insurance agents are paid to reduce payouts as much as they can get away with. (My wife used to be a claims adjuster - hated that job.)
Persistance and documentation are your tools.
If you need to use the court system, the police report is just one piece of evidence the judge will look at.
These guys may be helpful:
http://oregonbikelaw.com

I found this bit of advice:
"Your remedy is probably to write up your own account of the accident or your observation as to certain key details, and ask that this evidence be attached to the police report. Under most department policies, it will be within the officer’s discretion whether or not the new information is included in the existing report -- in other words, you can make your case that the requested change be made, but it’s not up to you."
how to dispute a police accident report - Google Search
 

LarryOz

Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
The police report for a recent collision says I caused the collision and the motorist's insurance agents are acting accordingly. Does anyone have experience with something like this? I can't get lawyer representation as long as the police report stands. I've sent a letter to the Highway Patrol responsible for the report requesting corrections to the errors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Elliot, First I hope that you are OK.
Second - This very same thing happened to me about 20 years ago. The cop (who turned out to sympathize for some reason with the drive - my first strong experience with strong ethnic bias against me) said I was at fault. Either extreme bias or a police officer who was actually too stupid to be one. (Could have been both).
I was commuting home from work - about a 12-13 mile ride on a really busy 2-lane highway. I was passing a "T" intersection (on my right) where the cars had to come to a complete stop and then pull out into the traffic. There was a center "turn" lane that helped. It was practically impossible to turn left however during rush hour as traffic hardly backed off enough to give you any room.
Anyway, I was riding my DF and probably going about 20mph or so. I actually don't even remember to this day being hit, but I woked up on the side of the road (opposite side). I was thrown across 3 lanes of traffic. When I came to, about 8 people were all looking down at me from above. It was surreal. after a few minutes of letting the fog clear from my head, I noticed my right hand was hurt badly and very bloody. This was were the truck hit me. My left shoulder was also screaming at me. That is what I fell one. An ambulance was called and I was rushed off to the ER. I ended up with multiple breaks in my right hand center around my 3rd metacarple (I've got 4-5 screws in there now), and left shoulder was fractured. Enough about body parts - just given to give you the broad stroke of what happened.
While in the ER being treated and evaluated the policeman came and gave me a ticket. He said that I was required to stop at this "intersection". I don't know if he was truly that ignorant or just stupid, or just though I was either or both. Basically the guy that hit me was driving a 1-ton "company" work truck, had a suspended license for open container - and this cop still wrote me up. I can't prove it but I have to think he must have known him - not really sure. Luckily I had a friend in my church (who also lived in the city where the accident happened) who was an attorney and he wrote a letter to the "chief" of that police department with my statement of what happened, also asking in his own way do bicycles really have to stop on the through street for cars. Eventually the police report was "modified". Obviously this was a a flagrant error that had to be corrected and I don't know what your situation is Elliot. Even with this record changed, I still needed to use an attorney to get the driver's insurance company to pay up, and it took a over a year for it to be complete.
Having said all that: If you have injuries and damages to your bike that need to be taken care of (paid by insurance), probably your only alternative is going to be to get some legal help of some kind. I feel for you because it is a painfully slow process.
I would suggest writing up you account as quickly as possible. Also post it to online to as many places as you can think, also asking for help. Someone with a car cam might have some footage that can help you, or someone that was an eye witness may come forward. If you have an insurance company of your own - give them your account, but also get the insurance company and contact of the motorist and also give them you account of what happened.
Good luck Elliot - again I hope that you are OK and not too badly damaged.
 
@LarryOz, your account is a bit confusing. Which lane where you in? What role did the T intersection play? Where was the truck?

Every police officer I've ever dealt with has blamed me. I hear you.

I've spoken to two lawyers and neither would take my case as long as the police report stands. I've sent a letter and called California Highway Patrol to try and correct the report. Working on that now.

It is so infuriating how little people know about cycling amongst motorists. I was riding on a narrow two way, two lane road with an irregular shoulder. It isn't wide enough for a cyclist and a motorist to be safely side by side. A motorist driving in the same lane and same direction as I was drove through me from behind at 55-60 mph. He neither slowed or evaded. It is so fucking infuriating that the officer reacts to that by citing me for riding in the lane. The motorist doesn't get cited for criminal recklessness. (The motorist was driving a Pontiac G-6. The car has a low sloped front end that hit the rear wheel and drew me up onto the hood/windshield. I probably faired well compared to other motorist-cyclist collisions with similar absolute and relative speeds)

@ratz, I'll send Jim an email. Thank you for helping.
 
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LarryOz

Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
@LarryOz, your account is a bit confusing. Which lane where you in? What role did the T intersection play? Where was the truck?
Sorry about that. I was in the through lane. The truck was stopped at the "T" trying to pull out left. He would have seen me looking left. He either did not see more or drastically mis-judged my speed.
.

It certainly looks like you are getting a bum rap. When is it the cyclists fault for just riding in the road.
My last accident a truck going about 40 drove right up on me . I was on an upright. Luckily he only hit me with him mirror in my left elbow. The mirror broke off his truck. I managed not to crask, but the force of the collision slammed my hand into the handlebar so hard it split my palm wide open!

The traffic around where I live is really bad - I rarely ride in it. I ride mostly indoor on my trainer and on group rides or events these days.

I really hope you are doing OK Elliot - heal up buddy - and keep pushing to get the police report changed
 

jphipps

Active Member
I was involved in a similiar case with the CHP a few years ago. First off, if no bike lane on the road then you are allowed up to 1/2 the lane, unless you considered it unsafe and then you are allowed to take the entire lane. You are NOT required to ride on the shoulder! Remember that the CHP officer did not witness the collision, what is in the police report is only speculation by the officer, only you and the auto driver are witnesses. Therefore you have the right to add to the police report ( not change what the officer put in the report) if you think some information has been left out of the report, ask for an amendment to the report (form used to add info to the report). Also in CA there is now a "three foot law", if the auto driver hit you going the same direction and did not allow three feet between you and auto, he is at FAULT! You will probably have to take the driver to court, but my guess is if you request a jury trial, the drivers insurance company will make a deal with you for damages before trial . Just because a CHP officer put something in a report does not make it true and does not mean a jury will not side with you, if you added to the police report what really happened.

Later,
jphipps
 
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