Disputing an accident report, how?

[ThumperX]

We received the CHP report for an accident that occurred on May 9th. The report is completely off; but, we have photo documentation to back up "our side" of the accident. Is there some formal process to go through? Can't seem to get a concrete path on which to continue.

 

[ScottRNelson]

Are you only dealing with a car insurance company on this, or is there more to it?

If it's just insurance, you'll need to contact the insurance adjuster and ask them how to give your side of it.

 

[ThumperX]

We want the report to reflect the actual events.

 

[KrustyKruser]

I would assume the report has the officers name and badge number. You could go to the station and ask to speak with the officer or their supervisor and request a supplemental report to reflect the changes. That would be my first attempt. If they refuse?

 

[bojangle]

I would assume the report has the officers name and badge number. You could go to the station and ask to speak with the officer or their supervisor and request a supplemental report to reflect the changes. That would be my first attempt. If they refuse?

That would be where I would start. If the officer refuses, or if you are unable to get into contact with the officer who investigated it, ask to speak with a sergeant, or the watch commander.

Make sure you are inquiring with the correct CHP station.

I can't speak for the CHP, or any other officer, but being in a current traffic enforcement assignment (motors), if someone contacted me with something compelling which I did not know at the time, and that something would change my opinion of the cause of the collision, I would amend the report with a supplemental report to reflect that. Having said that, in my 29 years on the job, I don't ever recall this happening.

 

[bojangle]

This doesn't involve a change of an existing report, but I have a recent example where things don't always go the way a person thinks it will. I was contacted regarding a non-injury collision that occurred 3 weeks earlier and the parties exchanged information. The police were never involved. The party who contacted me only had liability coverage and the other party's insurance refused to pay her. As this happened to be an intersection where my city has surveillance cameras, she was able to obtain a copy of the video footage. She contacted me and insisted on a report. I tried my best to convince her that this was just an insurance claim and my report wouldn't change anything. She wouldn't take no for an answer. She showed me one of three camera angles on her phone which did show the other party roll through the intersection without stopping, but didn't show how she entered the intersection.

So I ended up taking a counter report and looking up the video. I saw that the other 2 angles showed the reporting party had also failed to stop for her stop sign and was driving more aggressively. Furthermore, the deciding factor was that the other party was to her right, and there's a vehicle code section that says the driver on the left must yield to the vehicle on the right if both vehicles enter the intersection at the same time. They both arrived at the limit line at the same time. So both parties contributed to the cause of the collision, but the primary collision factor went to the reporting party who insisted on a report. So I'm highly doubting the report changed the outcome of the insurance claim. If anything, the other party might be successful in their claim against her.

 

[ThumperX]

Thank you!

 

[NorCalBusa]

Decades ago I had a crash that CHP took the report. There was a lot of things wrong in the report, so appealed to the watch commander of that CHP office. I had factual details I listed and a handful of violations of CHP report writing policy in the report (thanks to a buddy who was CHP). He was pleasant enough after reading but nothing changed.

So I sent my perspective to my insurance company and copies of everything. Long story short- they agreed and in a formal written statement "cleared" me of any wrongdoing/not at fault and assigned zero points for the crash. More than one way to skin a friggin cat. No change and clear record when renewal time came around.

 

[ThumperX]

Thank you. I have sent my appeal to AAA.

 

[littlebeast]

i had an accident where the report was made without much input from me. i was unconscious for over 30 minutes, and incoherent for the next few days (tbi). chp interviewed me in the trauma center, but i barely knew who i was, so couldn’t offer much. didn’t get the report for close to 30 days. by that time, my memory (or what i thought was my memory) became more clear. i contacted chp and told them i disputed the report. asked them to review certain aspects of the damage to the vehicle and my bike that would prove that the drivers statement was bullshit. they reviewed it, and revised the report in my favor.

 

[TheRiddler]

Take enough crashes and you'll have people disputing the results of the report. I've had it happen maybe a dozen times. The only thing that can change the report is the introduction of new evidence. I've only changed a report's findings a couple times, and I believe both times I changed who was at fault to undetermined. In both cases, photographs of damage and vehicle locations following the crash and prior to my arrival were provided that were not shown to me on scene.

 

[ThumperX]

Progressive just reported 0 at fault need to check AAA

 

[900ss]

Sorry for your troubles!

A friend of mine was rear-ended last week, causing $17,500.00 damage to her 2023 Lexus ES300h, which is paid off. In case folks are not aware (I was not), under California law you can file a "diminished value" claim for the vehicle. She has initiated a claim with the insurance company of the lady who hit her car.

It is odd how she found out about this. Her rental car had a nail in the tire, and she was told to take it to a Firestone shop to be repaired. R (my friend) being R, she was mighty upset and griped to high heaven about being inconvenienced. It so happens that the kid who fixed the puncture told her about it, as he had filed a claim earlier this year on his BMW. I reminded her that there are silver linings in a lot of bad situations.

 

[bojangle]

Sorry for your troubles!

A friend of mine was rear-ended last week, causing $17,500.00 damage to her 2023 Lexus ES300h, which is paid off. In case folks are not aware (I was not), under California law you can file a "diminished value" claim for the vehicle. She has initiated a claim with the insurance company of the lady who hit her car.

It is odd how she found out about this. Her rental car had a nail in the tire, and she was told to take it to a Firestone shop to be repaired. R (my friend) being R, she was mighty upset and griped to high heaven about being inconvenienced. It so happens that the kid who fixed the puncture told her about it, as he had filed a claim earlier this year on his BMW. I reminded her that there are silver linings in a lot of bad situations.

I've heard about these diminished value insurance claims as well, though I have no experience with them.

 

[NorCalBusa]

Rather evident they came about due to Carfax and similar services. Ever go to sell or trade in a car and they'll nitpick the thing after pulling a Carfax, who has no dog in the fight except subscribing (for a fee) lets buyers pay less. I don't find it unfair at all- can't argue with the math. Only concern is who polices Carfax accuracy and what's the recourse when they error?

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

Rather evident they came about due to Carfax and similar services. Ever go to sell or trade in a car and they'll nitpick the thing after pulling a Carfax, who has no dog in the fight except subscribing (for a fee) lets buyers pay less. I don't find it unfair at all- can't argue with the math. Only concern is who polices Carfax accuracy and what's the recourse when they error?

Carfax does have a way that owners can amend their report - case in point: we have 3 vehicles that we bought new. When we moved from California to Tennessee and changed the registrations and titles to Tennessee we suddenly became the second owners of those vehicles, according to Carfax. By filing a report with Carfax they fixed the ownership status.

 

[NorCalBusa]

Carfax does have a way that owners can amend their report - case in point: we have 3 vehicles that we bought new. When we moved from California to Tennessee and changed the registrations and titles to Tennessee we suddenly became the second owners of those vehicles, according to Carfax. By filing a report with Carfax they fixed the ownership status.

Good to hear. I suspect that's a simple administrative task- love to hear what CF does if you dispute damage they reported.

 

[Dmitriy]

Sorry for your troubles!

A friend of mine was rear-ended last week, causing $17,500.00 damage to her 2023 Lexus ES300h, which is paid off. In case folks are not aware (I was not), under California law you can file a "diminished value" claim for the vehicle. She has initiated a claim with the insurance company of the lady who hit her car.

It is odd how she found out about this. Her rental car had a nail in the tire, and she was told to take it to a Firestone shop to be repaired. R (my friend) being R, she was mighty upset and griped to high heaven about being inconvenienced. It so happens that the kid who fixed the puncture told her about it, as he had filed a claim earlier this year on his BMW. I reminded her that there are silver linings in a lot of bad situations.

Jesus is that the one you posted about shopping for one a bit ago…. (Fucking CA )

 

[ThumperX]

Jesus is that the one you posted about shopping for one a bit ago…. (Fucking CA )

Actually, in this case, bravo California for consumer protection when it comes to fucking insurance companies.

 

[Dmitriy]

Actually, in this case, bravo California for consumer protection when it comes to fucking insurance companies.

I meant the drivers….