When you’re healing from a painful injury after a car crash, paperwork is probably the last thing you want to think about. Still, if you’re wondering how to get a car accident report in Lafayette, the answer is fairly simple. When city officers respond to the scene, you can get the Lafayette Police Department accident report in one of two ways. You can order it online through BuyCrash, the department’s official online portal, or you can pick up a copy in person at an LPD location.
The following covers what you need to know about the steps, fees, and rules that apply so you can get back to focusing on your recovery.
Does the Lafayette Police Department Have Your Crash Report?
Before you request anything, confirm which agency wrote the report. Under La. R.S. 32:398(B), each city’s police department investigates crashes that happen within its city limits. When a collision occurs outside city limits, the sheriff’s office or the Louisiana State Police takes over.
That means the Louisiana Police Department will only have a report if the collision happened within Lafayette city limits. If it happened in an unincorporated part of Lafayette Parish, you’ll likely need to contact the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office. If a state trooper responded, you can request the report through the Louisiana State Police Traffic Records Unit.
The law requires agencies to release reports to eligible people within seven working days after they finish their investigation. Minor accidents may be resolved quickly, but serious crashes can take longer, so your Lafayette crash report might not be available immediately.
Who Can Request a Lafayette Police Accident Report?
In Louisiana, not just anyone can ask for a crash report. Under La. R.S. 32:398(I)(1)(a), crash reports stay confidential and fall outside the state’s Public Records Law. The law limits access to these groups:
- Drivers and other parties involved in the crash
- Parents or guardians of a minor involved in the crash
- Insurers of any party named in the report
- Healthcare providers who treated anyone named in the report
- Succession representatives of a party who has died
- Attorneys for any of the people listed above
- News organizations that request documents about a specific crash
If you plan to go in person, bring a valid photo ID so staff can confirm that you qualify.
How Do You Get Your Lafayette Crash Report?
Once you’ve confirmed that LPD has your report and you’re eligible, choose the option that works best for your schedule.
Requesting a Lafayette Police Report Online
For most people, the quickest way is to get the Lafayette police report online. The LPD’s Request a Report page directs you to BuyCrash, a portal run by LexisNexis. The following explains how you can use it:
- Visit the BuyCrash website and select Louisiana as the state.
- Choose the Lafayette Police Department as the agency.
- Search using the report number, your last name, or the date of the crash.
- Pay the online fee and download your copy.
The online price may differ from the in-person fee, so check the total before you pay.
Picking Up Your Report in Person
You can also visit either of the following LPD locations:
- 900 East University Avenue
- 1820 Moss Street
The city currently charges $7.50 for an in-person vehicle crash report and $1 for each statement copy. The Records Section processes about 50,000 reports a year, so bring your photo ID, the crash date and location, and the report number (if you have it) to speed things up.
Contacting the LPD Records Section
Call before you make the trip, as the Records Section keeps limited hours, which are as follows:
- Monday through Thursday – Staff members are available from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a midday closure from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Friday – Staff members are available from 9 a.m. to noon, so plan an early visit.
You can call the Records Section at (337) 291-8621. A quick call will let you know whether your car accident report in Lafayette, LA is ready for pickup, saving you a trip.
Why Your Crash Report Matters for an Injury Claim
Insurance adjusters often look at the crash report before anything else. It provides a neutral officer’s account of what happened, so it can shape how an insurance company views the personal injury claim from day one. A typical accidnet report may include the following:
- The date, time, and location of the collision
- Names, contact details, and insurance information for each driver
- A diagram or description of how the vehicles collided
- Any tickets the officer issued, such as for speeding or running a red light
- Statements from drivers and witnesses
Fault plays a big role in Louisiana injury claims. The state’s comparative fault rules can reduce the compensation you recover if an insurer shows that you are partially to blame for the accident. You can learn more about how Louisiana’s comparative fault laws affect car accident claims.
However, a crash report isn’t the final word. Police officers sometimes make mistakes or miss witnesses. Pair the report with photos, medical records, and other evidence you may need to win a car accident case to build the strongest possible claim.
Talk to a Lafayette Car Accident Lawyer at The Thibeaux Firm
At The Thibeaux Firm, Attorney Omar Thibeaux leads a respectful, caring team ready to handle the paperwork. We can request your crash report, check it for mistakes, and gather evidence showing what really happened. We’ll also stand up to any insurer that tries to put the blame on you.
Attorney Thibeaux is called “The 25% Attorney” because he charges a flat 25 percent fee, and only if he wins compensation for you. Many other firms charge more, but with us, you keep more of your financial recovery. In a recent auto accident case, we recovered $30,000 for a client (Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.)
Here’s what one satisfied client had to say about working with us:
“From the first phone call to the final signing, I was kept in the loop about every detail of the case.”
– Kip R.
If you’ve been injured in Lafayette, contact a hardworking, determined Lafayette car accident lawyer today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
