When in doubt, it is always best to call the police to make a report.

Once a police officer arrives, their job is to be a neutral third party and to document as much evidence as possible, including date, time, weather conditions, vehicle damages, injuries, identifying information for the individuals involved, witness statements, and video evidence (when available).

Based on the evidence collected, officers will typically assign contributing factors to determine who is at fault or majority at fault.

Unfortunately, officers can make mistakes on these reports.

We have seen them all and they do occur more often than you may think. If the law enforcement officer got some objective information wrong, details about your vehicle, your insurance coverage, or the location of the accident, for example, you can probably get the report changed or amended as long as you provide documentation in support of the correction.

Critical errors, such as an officer attributing fault to you because of a misunderstanding, the officer siding with the other driver, assigning contributing factors to the wrong party or not obtaining a statement from an involved party, may require more effort on your part to have corrected, though, not impossible.

It is not always easy to get a police officer to change a report.

If you simply don't agree with something that is in the report, such as an account of the accident given by a witness, or the officer's finding that you violated a traffic law, you'll have a much tougher time getting any change made.

In that situation, the best you can probably do is write up your own version of the detail you are disputing and hope that it be included as a supplement to the report. In most cases, whether it is added to the report or not will be up to the law enforcement agency.

Contact the police officer or police department responsible for making the report.

Once you have gathered your facts and details, it is time to contact the police officer or department to request the report be updated or changed. Remember:

• Stay calm and be polite, patient, and professional.
• Be sympathetic and tell them you understand their job isn't easy.
• Don't take the issue to a supervisor unless absolutely necessary.
• Understand the officer may be in a contested situation in which both drivers want the report changed.
• Calmly provide your facts and information in an organized manner.

If you find you are not getting anywhere with the police officer or department, it may be time to consult with an attorney regarding your personal injury case.

Glamorized in films like the Fast and the Furious franchise, video games, and other media, street racing at first glance seems exciting and can get adrenaline pumping. During the beginning of the 2020 COVID Pandemic, street racers took advantage of the seemingly quiet streets causing a noticeable increase of illegal street racing and street takeovers.

Street takeovers are noticeably different from street racing, according to one Dallas local named Wikiii. Street takeovers occur when drivers block road access to streets or even major highways to perform slides and donuts on the road or in the middle of intersections amidst spectators. In the drivers' eyes, they are putting on a show. To many residents, government officials, and law enforcement, they are more than just a nuisance - they are a threat to public safety.

On average, 9 out of every 100,000 drivers has received a citation for street racing. Furthermore, nationwide the average number of vehicle-related deaths per 100,000 people in 2017 was 11.4, and the percentage of drivers that had accumulated a prior speeding violation was 11.31%.

Andrew Selsky from AP News reports:

"Jaye Sanford, a 52-year-old mother of two, was driving home in suburban Atlanta on Nov. 21 (2020) when a man in a Dodge Challenger muscle car who was allegedly street racing crashed into her head-on, killing her.

On New Year's Eve (2020) in Mississippi, drivers blocked traffic on an interstate highway in Jackson, the state capital, for an hour while they spun out and did donuts, etching circles in the pavement.

On the night of May 2 (2021), a 28-year-old woman was killed in Phoenix when a street racer crashed into her car. A man was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, handed out thousands of tickets for speeding and racing since a crackdown began in October.

In Denver, police have deployed a helicopter to track races, closed lanes often used by racers and sent officers to places where racers meet. On April 3, a mother was killed when a street racer broadsided her car in downtown Denver.

In one of the most notorious incidents, hundreds of street racers clogged a stretch of interstate in nearby Aurora on March 7 while they raced and cruised. Police warned other motorists to stay away amid reports of guns being brandished and fireworks going off."

Why is illegal street racing so dangerous?

• Intoxication - along with the fast cars comes a scene of people known to engage in drinking (sometime underage) or using illegal substances which can seriously impair ones judgment behind the wheel.
• Pedestrians & Onlookers - Groups of people are know to spectate at these races and because of the legality of street racing, there are no repercussions to keep these onlookers or passersby safe from someone who could potentially lose control of their vehicle.
• Disregard of Traffic Signals - Street racers often have no regard for traffic lights, stops signs, yields or anything in between. This not only endangers those involved in street racing but other drivers and pedestrians as well.
• Dangerous Speeds - Racing obviously indicates high speeds however speeds that range anywhere from 100 MPH and 200 MPH are significantly more dangerous on residential roads. These speeds give drivers less reaction time to avoid other driver, pedestrians, and anything else in their path and present a high chance of a serious collision.

Injured in an auto accident? Call Stanley & Associates

If you have been injured in an auto accident in or around Dallas, contact Stanley & Associates for your free case consultation. Stanley & Associates has represented clients across Texas and throughout the United States for over ten years. Our firm has successfully won thousands of cases during this time.

Our Dallas car accident attorneys are available 24/7 to assist you. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means no fee unless we win.

Delaying Medical Treatment

Delaying medical treatment is one of the major arguments used by insurance companies to deny paying a claim or to severely reduce its value. Even if you go to the ER immediately, but do not go to a doctor for a month, that can be a Gap in Treatment (insurance term). The insurance company will say that if you were in pain, you would have seen a doctor immediately. Many times, these gaps are created because you assume the pain will go away, or you think you can’t afford a doctor visit. Our law firm allows clients to treat under a letter of protection. This allows you to get the medical attention you need without paying until the case settles. It is very important to contact us or the doctor if you are not being seen by a doctor and you are still feeling pain.

Medical Appointments

No medical treatment can severely affect your personal injury case. We are arguing for your pain and suffering. This is separate from your property damage award. The medical records and bills are evidence of your injuries and pain and suffering that are related to the collision. It is extremely important to make sure that you see a doctor if you are feeling any pain that might be related to the accident. 

Insurance Companies

Different insurance companies treat cases differently. We have years of experience with these companies and can take the steps necessary to negotiate your case properly. Remember, the insurance company is representing the driver that hit you. They are NOT ON YOUR SIDE. 

Injured in an auto accident? Call Stanley & Associates

If you have been injured in an auto accident in or around Dallas, contact Stanley & Associates for your free case consultation. Stanley & Associates has represented clients across Texas and throughout the United States for over ten years. Our firm has successfully won thousands of cases during this time.

Our Dallas car accident attorneys are available 24/7 to assist you. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you owe us nothing unless and until we win your case.