Chances are if you have been driving for some time, you have been involved in an auto accident in Houston. If so, its more than likely that the Houston Police Department or Harris County Sheriff’s Office made the scene and is responsible for the reporting of the accident. This report will have important information on the accident including everyone involved, the address of the accident, weather conditions, and other pertinent information.
If you were seriously injured in the accident, you should seek medical attention right away. If the injuries were significant enough, EMS probably took you to the hospital immediately, so you did not have the opportunity to get the information about the other drivers. At this point, the accident report is all that you have for information about the accident.
There are three ways to get a copy of the accident report. You need three pieces of information so that they can look up your accident. The date of the accident, the location of the accident, the names of any of the drivers or other people involved. Luckily, you know yourself so one piece is done. Additionally, the police officer investigating the case should have provided you with a case or ID number even if you were transported to the hospital. This can also be used to look up the accident report.
- Get your report online: you can purchase a copy of the accident report online at https://cris.dot.state.tx.us/public/Purchase/app/home. This site is run by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). To get a non-redacted copy, you must certify that you meet certain requirements. For the City of Houston and Harris County, you can also go to this website to order your crash report: https://buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com/
- Get your report by mail: You can mail a request and $6.00 check or money order to Houston Police Department Records Division at 1200 Travis Street, Houston, Texas 77002. The request form is available here: https://www.houstontx.gov/police/pdfs/HB-2633-Crash-Report-Form.pdf
- Get your report in person: For the Houston Police Department, you can visit their main headquarters at 1200 Travis Street, Houston, TX 77002 and purchase a copy for $6.00. If the accident was investigated by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, then visit the precinct office for information on getting a copy.
If you have been seriously injured, it is important that you get a certified copy of the accident report so that it may be admissible in court. Attorney Paul Moody can help with all aspects of your case including getting your accident report.