A car accident can traumatize you physically and mentally. After a crash, you might not recall all the details of your accident. You might not even speak to the other driver if your injuries incapacitate you.
Car crash reports memorialize what happened from an objective viewpoint. They also summarize the contact information your attorney needs to file an accident claim. Learning how to obtain a car accident report in Albuquerque, NM, is important for your claim.
Curiel & Runion Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers will obtain and use the crash report to fight for you. Get in touch with us for a free case review after an accident by calling (505) 594-3621.
How Curiel & Runion Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Curiel & Runion is a premier personal injury law firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our attorneys have over 55 years of combined legal experience. Over that time, we have amassed a 98% success rate for our injured clients.
After you suffer an injury due to someone else’s negligent or wrongful actions, our firm provides the following services:
- Listening to your story and explaining your legal options for compensation
- Investigating your accident by gathering records and reports to support your story
- Filing an insurance claim and negotiating with the adjuster to settle it
- Litigating against insurers and at-fault parties who reject settlements
Our Albuquerque car accident lawyers have successfully recovered over $50 million in compensation for accident victims like you. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss how we can help you.
How Many Car Accident Reports Are Filed in New Mexico?
New Mexico’s statutes require drivers to file an accident report for all accidents that involve:
- Death
- Injury
- Property damage of $500 or more
The law imposes the same reporting requirement on all police officers investigating crashes that meet those criteria. Additionally, investigating officers must prepare a written report for any truck accident involving a commercial motor vehicle that causes the following:
- Death
- Incapacitating injuries that require transport of the victim to a hospital
- Disabling damage to a car that necessitates a tow truck
In 2022, New Mexico had 419 fatal crashes and 12,670 non-fatal injury crashes, according to the New Mexico Traffic Crash Annual Report. These crashes included:
- Car accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
The state also had 27,795 property damage-only (PDO) crashes. The report does not describe how PDO crashes caused property damage valued at $500 or more. But the threshold is so low that many of these crashes likely required a report even though no one suffered injury or death.
Combining these numbers, New Mexico generated between 13,089 and 40,884 crash reports in 2022. The exact number depends on how many PDO crashes caused at least $500 in property damage.
How To Get a Crash Report in Albuquerque
Police officers will respond to crashes involving injury or death. They will manage the crash scene to ensure everyone remains safe during the investigation and cleanup. Officers can also request additional resources, like paramedics and ambulances, to assist the injured.
After dealing with any emergency matters, the officers will investigate the crash. They may interview the drivers and any witnesses. They could take photos and videos of the accident scene and examine physical evidence, like skid marks. They will summarize their investigative findings in a crash report.
Your options for obtaining a crash report depend on the law enforcement agency that responded to the scene. You can use the following procedures to get your accident report:
Albuquerque Police Department
The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) investigates crashes inside the city limits except on state and interstate highways where the New Mexico State Police have jurisdiction. You can get your APD accident report online or in person.
Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) handles crashes outside the city limits but inside the county limits. To obtain a crash report prepared by BCSO deputies, you will need to submit a records request form in person or by email. Once BCSO processes your request, you can pick up the crash report in person at the county headquarters.
New Mexico State Police
The New Mexico State Police investigates collisions on state and interstate highways. You can request a New Mexico State Police report by submitting a records request or ordering it online.
Using a Crash Report
The report is usually not admissible as evidence in a court of law because it constitutes hearsay (though you can call the police offer who wrote it to the stand and testify). But it still contains information that helps lawyers pursue injury compensation nonetheless.
A car accident lawyer uses crash reports to identify witnesses for your case. They also use the insurance information from the report to file your claim. You can also use the report during out-of-court settlement negotiations.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Award-Winning Albuquerque Car Accident Lawyers
Crash reports include valuable information. If you bring your crash report to your free consultation, we can use it to evaluate your claim. Contact our Albuquerque car accident attorneys at Curiel & Runion to discuss how we use crash reports to fight for fair injury compensation.