When a motorcycle accident happens in Nevada, the local police usually file a crash report following the investigation. This report is crucial for accident victims as it documents the damage caused to the vehicle and simplifies the insurance claim process. One of the most important pieces of information found in a police report is the vehicle damage rating.
In this post, we’ll explain everything you need to know about damage rating on a police report after a motorcycle crash investigation in Nevada. So, when you obtain a copy of the report from the law enforcement agency that responds to your accident, you can check and ensure it contains all the necessary details, including the accident location, the date and time, damage type, injuries, etc.
What Is Damage Rating on a Post-Motorcycle Crash Police Report?
A standard post-motorcycle accident police report is a legal document outlining basic information related to the incident. It includes basic details about each driver and any passengers involved in the crash, such as names, contact information, and driver’s license numbers.
Before writing down all the facts about the accident, the officer assesses the damage sustained to the vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, etc.) and assigns a rating based on their findings. The damage rating on the police report includes three values:
1. Direction of Force
The direction of force represents the location of the first impact or the direction from which the motorcycle was hit. To simplify this information, the officers use the numbers on a clock to locate the damaged area. However, instead of 0-12, the Nevada accident form has 1-8. To put these numbers into context, a motorcycle hit directly from the front would have a value of 1.
2. Damage Areas
Damage Description represents the type of damage the motorcycle has sustained in terms of the direction of the collision. For instance, a head-on collision by a car or truck is described as F. Conversely, a rear-end collision is represented with R. Below is a list of the damage areas:
- Front
- Right side
- Left side
- Rear
- Right front
- Right rear
- Top
- Undercarriage
- Left front
- Left rear
- Unknown
- Other
3. Severity of Damage
The severity of Damage represents damage extent using numbers 1-6:
- 1 – Minor
- 2 – Moderate
- 3 – Major
- 4 – Total
- 5 – None
- 6 – Unknown
How Does the Police Report Affect Your Insurance Claim?
Following a motorcycle accident, your insurance company would ask for a police report and use it to commence its investigation. Claims adjusters may not always use the information since they can inspect the severity of damage themselves.
However, they may not always agree with the report’s damage rating, which may affect your compensation.
Why You Need An Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Following a Motorcycle Accident
Police reports are not immune to errors. Any officer can make a mistake even if they’re extremely careful. However, one mistake can prolong your claim process unnecessarily simply because the report didn’t accurately describe the direction of impact, damage area, or damage severity correctly.
If the damage rating is lower than the actual damage, the insurance company might think that the greater damage was caused in another crash and that you’re trying to conceal it with the new one. Hence, in many cases, you might have to amend the police reports, which can be extremely difficult.
Here, a qualified and experienced Motorcycle accident lawyer comes in to take over and accelerate the process. They can also gather and present evidence to clarify any confusion about the damaged area or severity.
Protect Your Rights After A Motorcycle Accident in Nevada
Have you been involved in a motorcycle accident in Las Vegas, Carson City, or anywhere else in the Silver State? If so, you should contact an experienced Nevada motorcycle accident attorney to handle your claim and ensure the damage rating on your police report is accurate.
Bourassa Law Group has the expertise, experience, and resources to help you seek maximum compensation following a motorcycle accident in Nevada. Call us at (800) 870-8910 for a free consultation.
1-800-870-8910