If your Philadelphia police accident report is wrong, identify the specific errors, preserve supporting evidence, and ask the department that prepared it how to request a correction or supplement.
Part of the PhillyLegalConnect Quick Answer Series
Simple answers to common accident, insurance, and injury questions affecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, South Jersey, and the Jersey Shore. This Quick Answer addresses what to do about inaccurate information in a Pennsylvania police accident report.
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Quick Answer
Contact the police department that prepared the report and ask how to submit a correction request or additional information. Explain exactly what is inaccurate and provide supporting documents when available.
A factual mistake and a disagreement about fault are different issues. The department may review your information without changing the officer’s conclusions. An unchanged report does not automatically defeat an injury claim.
Preserve the original report. If the error affects fault, injuries, or an insurance decision, consider legal guidance.
Key Takeaways
- Identify each error and explain the correct information.
- Support your request with photographs, documents, or witness information.
- Ask the issuing department about its procedure; a change is not guaranteed.
- A report does not automatically decide legal responsibility.
- Keep the original report and copies of your correspondence.
Identify the Specific Error
Obtain the complete available report and check names, vehicles, insurance details, location, diagrams, and descriptions of what happened.
Separate a clerical mistake from disputed observations or conclusions. A wrong license plate may be supported by registration records. Disagreeing with the officer’s description of a collision may require photographs, witness accounts, or other evidence.
Also distinguish an inaccurate statement from information that became known later. If pain began after you left the scene, explain that timing accurately rather than claiming you reported an injury at the scene.
Support Your Request With Evidence
Prepare a short explanation identifying the page or section, the disputed information, and what supports your correction.
Useful material may include:
- Scene photographs and vehicle damage images
- Dashcam or nearby surveillance footage
- Witness names and contact information
- Registration or insurance documents
- Records clarifying the timing of symptoms or treatment
Keep your explanation factual. Do not guess about another driver’s actions or pressure witnesses to agree with you.
Ask the Issuing Department for Review
Use the agency and report number shown on the document. For a Philadelphia Police Department report, ask that department which officer or unit handles correction requests. If another agency prepared it, contact that agency.
Ask whether you should provide a written statement, supporting records, or information for a supplemental report. Keep copies and a record of when and where you submitted them.
Do not alter the official report yourself. Make any personal notes on a separate copy.
Address the Error in Your Claim
An insurer may rely on a report when evaluating a claim, so explain a material error and provide supporting information. Do not assume a police correction will automatically reach the adjuster.
Insurance review differs from courtroom evidence. Pennsylvania vehicle code restricts admitting the police report copy in accident-related damages actions. The underlying facts and other evidence still matter. See 75 Pa.C.S. § 3751(b)(4).
What to Do Next
- Obtain and preserve the report.
- List the exact errors and gather supporting evidence.
- Ask the issuing department how to request review.
- Keep your submissions, responses, and any revised report.
- Explain material discrepancies accurately to the insurer.
- Seek legal guidance if the error affects your claim.
Editor’s Note: This Quick Answer addresses inaccurate police accident reports. Correction procedures and the significance of an error depend on the agency and circumstances.
Questions About an Incorrect Accident Report?
If an inaccurate report is complicating your injury claim, The Oakes Firm can help you understand the available evidence and possible next steps.
The Oakes Firm — Philadelphia Injury Lawyers
Free consultation. No fee unless there is a recovery.
Call (215) 883-4412
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About PhillyLegalConnect
PhillyLegalConnect was created to help individuals and families better understand accidents, insurance, injury claims, and safety issues affecting Philadelphia, South Jersey, and the Jersey Shore.
Our mission is to explain complicated legal and insurance topics in clear, practical language so readers can make informed decisions after an accident or injury.
About the Author
Thomas G. Oakes has more than four decades of experience working in and around Pennsylvania and New Jersey courtrooms. Throughout his career, he worked with attorneys, judges, and litigation teams, gaining firsthand insight into how accident and injury claims are investigated, documented, and presented.
Today, he serves as editor of PhillyLegalConnect, developing educational resources that help readers better understand accident, insurance, and personal injury topics.
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