Are Police Reports Admissible in Boat Accident Cases in Florida?
Immediately after a boat accident in Florida, call the police. Though inadmissible in your lawsuit against a negligent party, a police report can still be useful to our attorneys in Florida.
Police reports for boat accidents in Florida are not admissible in civil or criminal cases. That means that you can’t introduce a police report as evidence in a lawsuit against a negligent party. That said, police reports are still helpful to our attorneys when building a case. The information they contain can point our lawyers toward admissible evidence, such as eyewitness testimony, footage, and photographs. Combined with other evidence, such as your medical records, our attorneys can prove a negligent party’s fault in a boat accident case in Florida.
We’re here to help boat accident victims in Florida recover the compensation they need to heal. For a free and confidential case evaluation with the Florida boat accident lawyers at Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A., call today at (305) 204-5369.
Is the Police Report for My Boat Accident Admissible in Florida?
After a boat accident in Florida, you should call the police and report the incident. If you plan on suing a negligent party for compensation following an accident, you may wonder whether or not the police report made for your accident will be admissible. The answer is no.
In Florida, police reports for any type of vehicle accident, including boat accidents, are not admissible in lawsuits. Florida is clear about not allowing police reports for traffic accidents in civil or criminal cases apart from certain blood, urine, and breath tests, according to Fla. Stat. § 316.066(4). This rule extends to police reports made for boat accidents. Though there are hearsay exceptions to certain admissibility rules, police reports do not apply to these exceptions.
That means that you cannot introduce a police report as evidence in a boat accident lawsuit against a negligent party. These reports cannot be used to determine fault in a compensation case. Even statements made to police officers by victims or negligent parties are not considered evidence in civil cases, as they fall under Florida’s accident report privilege, which exists to encourage involved parties to be truthful about an accident’s events.
Though you may be discouraged upon learning that the police report for your boat accident will not be considered evidence in a lawsuit against a negligent party, don’t be. Our Miami boat accident lawyers can still prove a negligent party’s fault, even if a police report can’t be introduced as evidence.
Should I Get a Florida Police Report for a Boat Accident if it is Inadmissible?
Police reports aren’t admissible in boat accident cases in Florida. So, what’s the point of calling the police to report your accident? Although it can’t be used as evidence, a police report can still be useful to our attorneys when building your case.
After a boat accident in Florida, it is important to call the police. In fact, you’re required to. Boat accidents that result in injury in Florida must be reported to law enforcement officials so that proper documentation can be created. Even so, if you can’t use a report as evidence, why does it matter to report your accident to the police?
Although police reports for boat accidents aren’t admissible in Florida, they can be helpful to our attorneys. Our Tampa boat accident lawyers can use the information within a police report to gather information that can support your claim. Police reports often contain important details about an accident and its cause. If you are healing from serious injuries, you may not be able to speak with our attorneys about the ins and outs of a recent incident.
Police reports can provide our attorneys with crucial information, such as an accident’s location, time, and cause. These reports note all involved parties, eyewitnesses, and other details that can strengthen your claim.
So, while the police report for your recent boat accident may not be admissible in your case against a negligent party, it can still be incredibly useful to our lawyers. Always call the police and report a boat accident after it occurs. In doing so, you can create a wealth of information our attorneys can refer to when building a case against a negligent party in Florida.
What Evidence is Admissible in a Florida Boat Accident Case?
Though police reports are useful when learning all there is to know about a recent boat accident, our attorneys can’t use them to prove fault. To meet the burden of proof in your boat accident lawsuit in Florida, our experienced lawyers will turn to other forms of evidence.
While it may surprise you to learn that police reports aren’t considered evidence in boat accident lawsuits in Florida, that’s nothing new to our attorneys. Our skilled Jacksonville boat accident lawyers are familiar with the kinds of evidence necessary to prove a negligent party’s fault.
Once our attorneys determine fault using the information from a police report, they can begin compiling evidence. In boat accident cases, useful evidence includes eyewitness statements, camera footage, photographs, and medical records, among other kinds of proof. Our lawyers can also call on experts to testify regarding property damage, injuries, and other crucial aspects of your boat accident case.
Even though police reports are inadmissible in civil cases in Florida, that doesn’t mean that you can’t prove a negligent party’s fault. To do so, boat accident victims should reach out to our attorneys immediately after an incident so that they can begin investigating a case and gathering evidence.
Call Our Florida Lawyers About Your Boat Accident Case Today
If you were recently injured in a boat accident in Florida and require compensation, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Ft. Lauderdale boat accident lawyers at Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A., call today at (305) 204-5369.
