Being involved in a collision on an Oklahoma freeway or street can leave you in shock and even put your life in jeopardy. It’s understandable if you don’t know what to do after an accident and dread facing the insurance battle ahead. Your insurance company will help guide you and, for more serious incidents, you may want to get the support of an experienced personal injury attorney. Regardless of how minor or major the collision was, many people end up needing a copy of the accident report.
Why Do I Need an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Accident Report?
From a legal and insurance perspective, car accidents are never clear-cut situations–even when all logic tells you otherwise. Insurance companies don’t automatically accept fault for their policyholders and will instead perform an investigation that can shift accountability in subtle ways you might not expect. This can mean you may end up paying for your medical and mechanic bills, even when you did not cause the accident.
The best way to avoid this situation is to gather evidence about the facts of the incident, and an Oklahoma Highway Patrol accident report is one of your strongest resources for this. These official documents help combat “he said, she said” accounts and clarify what really happened. They also can defend against insurance companies who are proposing lowball settlement offers or threatening not to pay.
In short, accident reports often form the foundation of the factual narrative of the incident. Knowing how to secure this important document will help you get the compensation you deserve after a collision (such as if you’re seeking punitive or compensatory damages) and strengthen a personal injury claim.
How Will an Accident Report Be Used in a Claim?
Once you obtain your Oklahoma Highway Patrol accident report, you’ll share it with the insurance companies and (if applicable) legal teams involved in your case. Here’s how these reports are typically used in both litigation cases and insurance claims in Oklahoma:
- Legal Evidence: In personal injury or other civil litigation stemming from an accident, the accident report provides an official account of the incident. Courts may use the report to establish basic facts like the time, location, and parties involved in the accident.
- Fault Determination: The report typically includes the investigating officer's observations and may note any traffic violations that contributed to the accident. This information can be crucial in determining liability and fault, which are central issues in both legal and insurance proceedings.
- Insurance Claims: Insurance companies rely heavily on police reports to make decisions about claims. The report helps insurers understand the circumstances of the accident, which factors into their assessment of liability and the extent of damages claimed. It's often the starting point for negotiations and settlement discussions, such as those for diminished value claims.
- Dispute Resolution: For both court cases and insurance claims, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol accident report can support or contradict the statements made by the parties involved in the accident. For instance, if there is a dispute about who had the right of way, the police report might contain evidence such as witness statements or diagrams of the accident scene that clarify these details. In some cases, reports can be supplemented with other evidence like authenticated dash cam footage to establish what really happened.
- Settlement Negotiations: In both pre-litigation negotiations and mediation during litigation, the police report is often used as a basis for discussing a settlement. Parties might use the report to argue for a higher or lower settlement amount based on the documented details of the accident.
How Do I Get an Accident Report From the Oklahoma Highway Patrol?
To get your accident report, follow these steps:
1) Fill Out This Reports Request Form
As you’ll see on the form, you need to provide information such as the date of the accident, the city/county in which it occurred, and the last name of one of the parties involved. Fill out the form completely.
2) Submit the Form, Along With All Applicable Fees
You can do this in three ways:
- Mail via USPS only to:
Service Oklahoma Records Management Division
P. O. Box 11415
Oklahoma City, OK 73136-0415
You must include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your request and payment for the applicable fee using a cashier’s check, money order, or business check.
- Submit in-person at:
Service Oklahoma
6015 North Classen Boulevard, Building 4
Oklahoma City, OK, 73118
You have more ways to pay in person, including cashier’s check, money order, business check, cash, or credit or debit card.
- Email the form to sokrecords@service.ok.gov The fee can be mailed to the Service Oklahoma Records Management Division address noted above.
Note: By law, you are only allowed to obtain your own Oklahoma Highway Patrol accident report.
How Much Does It Cost to Get an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Accident Report?
The fee is $7.00, or $10.00 for a certified copy.
When Will I Receive My Accident Report?
You won’t be able to get an accident report immediately–wait a week or two after your crash to submit a request. This is because the officer who responds to your accident has 30 days to submit a report to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (DPS). If the collision involves a fatality, the report is due within 20 days. Once the officer has turned in the report and you have submitted your request, expect to get the report within a week or so.
How Will I Receive My Report?
Oklahoma Highway Patrol accident reports can be sent to requestors via USPS mail or email. On your request form, you will indicate which option you’d prefer. Records returned by email will be sent as an encrypted message to the email address provided by the requestor. Records returned by mail will be sent via a self-addressed stamped envelope you must provide.
Do I Need a Lawyer?
You don’t need a lawyer to request public records like Oklahoma Highway Patrol accident reports, and likely don’t need one if your accident involves only minor property damage and/or minor injuries (if any). In these situations, the compensation you’re owed will be fairly straightforward and the insurance companies will handle the process.
But if your accident involves a serious injury or fatality, we strongly advise that you talk to an experienced personal injury attorney to ensure the at-fault party doesn’t avoid liability and you get the best chance at a fair settlement. If you’re not sure whether you need a lawyer or have questions, contact us for a free case evaluation. We have decades of experience successfully handling personal injury cases in Oklahoma and can help you, too.