Question:
How long does it take to get a copy of a police report in Santa Monica?
Answer:
Traffic collision reports in Santa Monica are usually available about ten days after an accident. You cannot get a copy at the police station. You can only get a copy by requesting it through the mail.
What do you do in the meantime if you were injured and need to know if the other driver had insurance? Unless you obtained the other driver's contact information at the scene of the accident, you have no choice but to wait until you receive the police report by mail.
Don't delay getting medical treatment until you receive the police report.
You should not wait to treat until you receive the traffic collision report. If you have uninsured motorist coverage under your auto insurance policy, and the other driver was at fault for the accident, then you can make an injury claim under your uninsured motorist coverage if it turns out that the other driver was uninsured.
If you wait to treat until you receive the police report, the other driver's insurance company (or your insurance company if you end up making an uninsured motorist claim) will use it against you that you delayed getting treatment. They will argue that your failure to treat right away is evidence that your injuries were not significant.
A delay in getting medical treatment after an accident is one of the top ten mistakes people make after an accident that will reduce the value of their personal injury claim.