The police crash report is the first document an insurance adjuster reads, and it shapes how they value the claim before anyone has looked at a medical record. Getting it quickly, and correcting it if needed, is the first task of the first week.
Where to get it
Most Indiana law enforcement agencies file crash reports through the state’s ARIES system, and most make them available online through BuyCrash (buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com). Search by the date, the county, and your name or the report number the officer gave you. Reports usually appear within three to ten business days. Some departments, including some municipal agencies, still require a records request in person; the responding agency’s records division can tell you which.
If you are our client, we obtain the report for you and review it the day it arrives. And if you were hurt in a crash that was not your fault, you do not need to be a client: we will get your Indiana crash report for you at no cost, with no obligation. Our county-by-county guide also lists which agencies use BuyCrash in Lake, Porter, and St. Joseph Counties.
What to check when it arrives
Read the whole thing, not just the narrative.
Driver and vehicle information. Names, addresses, license numbers, plate numbers, and the insurance company and policy number for every vehicle. A wrong policy number costs weeks.
The diagram and narrative. Does it match what happened? Officers write these quickly, sometimes from the other driver’s version if you were in an ambulance.
Contributing circumstances. The report lists a primary cause for each driver, such as following too closely, failure to yield, or unsafe speed. This is the line adjusters weigh most heavily. If your line says “none” and the other driver’s says “failure to yield,” the liability conversation is mostly over.
Citations. A citation issued to the other driver is powerful. A citation issued to you is not fatal, but it needs to be addressed early.
Injury codes. Each occupant is coded by injury severity. An “A” (incapacitating) or “B” (non-incapacitating) injury on the report supports the claim. A “no injury” code does not end it, but you should expect the adjuster to cite it.
Witnesses. The report may list witnesses you did not know existed, with phone numbers.
If the report is wrong
Officers can amend reports. A supplemental report is more likely when you can point to something objective: a photo, a witness statement, dash cam footage, or a physical error such as the wrong street. Opinions about fault are harder to change, but a well-documented request is worth making. We handle this for clients; if you are doing it yourself, contact the records division of the responding agency and ask for the officer.
The report is not the last word
Insurance adjusters and juries both look past the report when the evidence justifies it. Video, electronic data from the vehicles, witness accounts, and the physical damage pattern can all contradict an officer’s first impression. The report is the starting point of the liability investigation, not the end of it.
Next: Part 3, the first 72 hours of medical care, and why a gap in treatment is the insurance company’s favorite argument.
This article is general information about Indiana law, not legal advice about your situation. Laws change and every case is different. Talk to a lawyer about the facts of your case.