Police Dept meses up!

What is the name of your state? New Jersey

My son is in the Air Force, stationed in New Jersey. In October of this past year he was involved in an auto accident that totalled his vehicle, unfortunately he was without comp insurance. The vehicle was a 91 Ford Pickup that he had fixed up and was worth about $5-6,000.00.

In the accident, my son was forced off the road and into a tree by a driver that moved into his lane. The police responded to the accident and spoke with everyone involved, the person that forced my son off the road parked about a block away from the accident and walked back to the scene.

My son was told, and has witnesses that the guy caused the accident and that the police officer said that my son could pick up a copy of the report the next day and that he would make available the driver's name and address.

When my son went to pick up a copy of the accident report, the name and address wasn't included in the report. After talking with a desk sargeant we were given the run around and had to make several return trips to the police department.

When we finally spoke with the officer that investigated the accident, we were told that he would retrive the information and have it available for us the next day.

After, serveral more conversations with this officer and his supervisors, we still do not have a name and address. We have been told that the police officer didn't have the information and wasn't responsible for procuring it. This is wrong.

The worst part of this is that they are saying that my son is lying about the information and everytime we have spoken to them its like we're the stupid ones and they are right about everything.

I want satsifaction, this police department screwed up! What can we do and how do we go about it?

I assume that the vehicles did not make contact with each other, so the officer probably listed it as a single car accident and did not collect the other driver's information. (Check your accident report). Aside from filing a complaint, your options are limited. If it's listed as a two car accident, then you have an incompentent department and can probably sue someone over this. Also, your son also should have collected the other driver's information on his own before he left the scene.

Originally posted by sdstrooper
I assume that the vehicles did not make contact with each other, so the officer probably listed it as a single car accident and did not collect the other driver's information. (Check your accident report). Aside from filing a complaint, your options are limited. If it's listed as a two car accident, then you have an incompentent department and can probably sue someone over this. Also, your son also should have collected the other driver's information on his own before he left the scene.

Who would you file a complaint with, the only notation on the report is: "D-1 states he was traveling southbound on S. Broad Street in the right lane when an unknown type auto merged from the left lane..."

This is a lie, the officer talked with the gentlemen that was driving the "unknown car" and let him leave the scene. This was witnessed by two people, and we have their names & addresses And another witness said the officer told my son that the driver's information would be available when he picked up the report. Why would the officer tell him this if he didn't assume that the driver was at fault.

The reason my son did not collect the information was because he was in the back of a police car.

[tammy8]

Usually if the vehicles do not make contact, you can not hold the other driver responsible because you as a driver are to be in control of your vehicle at all times. I know the other probably did come over onto your son; however your son should have also been able to defensively drive therefore controlling his vehicle.

Just like if an animal runs out in front of and you hit it, usually comp will cover the damage and you will not usually considered to be at fault(although collision should have been responsible in your son's case) but if you swerved in order to miss the dog but hit a mailbox collision takes over you are at fault.