St. George Police Accident Reports

St. George is a frequent tourist destination, featuring a Downtown Arts District, festivals, and numerous sporting events. But it can be hard to enjoy these experiences when a car accident has left you in pain, out of work, and forced to deal with medical bills.

If you or a loved one have suffered a car collision, you may need assistance getting back on your feet—and the insurance company might not be as helpful as you’d hoped. Although the first $3,000 in medical expenses from a car accident are usually paid by Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance, costs beyond that limit must be pursued as an at-fault claim.

Many people find it difficult to recover compensation in an at-fault claim, as the other driver or their insurance adjuster might try to avoid responsibility for the collision.

How can you get the help you need to recover? We recommend you acquire a copy of your police car accident report and confer with an experienced car accident attorney.

If you need assistance with your car accident claim, please don’t hesitate to contact Valley Law Accident & Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to answer all your questions and discuss your options.

Where Can You Get Your St. George Police Department Car Accident Report?

You can submit a request using the St. George Police Department’s online form. Fees depend on how long it takes to research and fulfill your request—the first fifteen minutes are free, and after that, it’s $17.25 an hour.

If you want photos from the accident scene, they are 25 cents per page in black and white or 50 cents per page in color. You can also request photos on a CD for $5.

The St. George Police Department requests that you give a preauthorized amount you are willing to pay in fees in your description. You will not necessarily pay the total amount, but they don’t want to go over this number.

When filling out the form, you will be asked to describe the records you’re requesting in detail. Include the case number, which is found on the paperwork provided by the responding officer.

If you can’t locate the paperwork, provide the names of the parties involved and the location, date, and approximate time of the collision.

You should also specify what type of records you want. The report itself is called a Traffic Accident Report DI-9.

You can also request witness statements, photos, and body camera footage (if available).

Once you’ve completed the description, you’ll select the department from a dropdown menu. The second option is “Police Traffic Accident Reports.”

There is also a field for the incident number. Finally, you’ll give your contact information, including name, address, phone number, and email address.

How Long Will It Take to Receive Your Report?

Most requests receive a response within ten business days. If you have not heard anything in that time, the St. George Police Department advises you to call (435) 627-4301 and follow up.

Who Can Access a Police Report in Utah?

Under the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), car accident reports are usually provided only to people involved in the accident or representing an involved party. You should be able to access a report if you are:

• A driver in the accident
• A passenger
• An injured party (including a bicyclist or pedestrian hit by a car)
• An owner of an involved vehicle
• An owner of damaged property
• A parent or legal guardian of an involved minor

State your involvement in the description field when requesting your report.

Does the Police Report Say Who Is at Fault?

Fault is a complicated matter. Ultimately, it will be determined by one or more insurance companies.

Only in rare cases when the insurance companies can’t reach an agreement will it be decided in court.

The police report plays a pivotal role in the determination of fault, and the insurance adjusters will carefully study the section on “contributing factors.” This is a lengthy list of potential causes, some of which may not be anyone’s fault—weather, poor road conditions, etc.

However, most contributing factors are the result of a driver’s actions. These can be issues like speeding, distracted driving, running red lights or stop signs, ignoring other traffic signs, etc.

Contributing factors can be assigned to one or both drivers in an accident, allowing for the possibility of shared fault.

This is one reason why we caution you not to admit fault at the scene, even if you believe you made a mistake. You should answer the officer’s questions honestly but briefly—there is no need to volunteer extra information or opine about who caused the accident.

If you made a mistake, it’s possible this error had little or nothing to do with the collision.

If you were partially responsible, you may still be able to recover some of your damages. Under Utah law, an injured party who is less than 50 percent at fault can recover from the mostly responsible party, minus their own share of fault.

So if you are 15 percent responsible, you could recover 85 percent of your damages.

However, the breakdown of fault is also determined by insurance adjusters, who will be eager to reduce their company’s payout. In some cases, they may overestimate one party’s share of responsibility, which could unfairly cost an injured person the money they deserve.

For this reason, we recommend you speak with an experienced car accident attorney to discuss questions about fault in your accident.

Where Can You Get Help With Your Car Accident Case?

Valley Law Accident & Injury Lawyers are dedicated to assisting you with your car accident or personal injury case. Reach out to us at (801) 810-9999 for a complimentary consultation, where we will review your accident report and address any questions or concerns you may have.

There’s no obligation to proceed, and if we take your case, you won’t owe any fees unless we win or reach a settlement on your behalf.

Attorney Brigham Richards, founder of Valley Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, has been passionately representing injured individuals and their families since the inception of his firm. He values personal responsibility and places great importance on meeting the needs of each client.

Bilingual in English and Spanish, Mr. Richards works tirelessly to secure the best possible outcomes for personal injury cases. He is licensed to practice law in both Utah and Nevada.