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Identify the report and the specific problem
Find the agency name, report number, collision date and report version. An accident within Los Angeles County may have been investigated by CHP or a local department. Use our report and footage finder if you need the starting point.
Make a short list of the page, field and disputed entry. Distinguish a wrong vehicle description or spelling from an omitted statement, disputed diagram or opinion about the cause. Avoid describing the whole report as wrong when you can identify a specific issue.
Prepare a clear, supported request
For each item, write what the report currently says, what you believe is correct and why. Attach relevant copies, such as a vehicle registration, dated photograph or existing correspondence. Keep the original report and original evidence unchanged.
Label uncertainty honestly. If you do not know a speed or distance, explain that instead of estimating it as fact. A passenger’s observation, your own memory and a timestamped photograph are different sources of information. Identify which one supports each point.
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For CHP reports, use the published supplemental-statement process
The CHP collision FAQ says an involved party who disagrees with part of a report may submit a written supplemental statement. Include the report number, your name and the specific items disputed. CHP says the statement can be brought to any CHP office or sent by U.S. mail, with a response by mail.
This is a review request, not a promise that the original findings will change. CHP recommends the written process rather than trying to reach the investigating officer directly by telephone.
For a local police report, confirm that department’s procedure
Do not assume CHP’s procedure applies to Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena or LAPD. Start with the issuing department’s official records or traffic contact. Ask where a factual correction or written disagreement should go, whether a particular form is required, and how to confirm receipt.
Our Glendale report guide and Los Angeles report guide identify official request sources. A records portal that sells a copy may not be the office that reviews the report’s substance.
Keep the insurance and evidence work moving
An officer’s report and an insurer’s evaluation serve different purposes. The California Department of Insurance explains that claim investigations can include accounts from drivers and witnesses. Requesting a report change does not itself resolve an insurance dispute.
Keep the insurer or your attorney informed about the disputed entry and preserve your submission and response. Do not wait for a correction before asking about disappearing footage, policy requirements or a legal deadline. Our report decoder helps explain common fields without deciding fault.
Keep a record of the outcome
Save the date, destination and copy of each request, plus any acknowledgment. Ask whether a supplement was added and how to obtain the current complete report. Keep both versions so the change can be understood.
If the agency declines to change its findings, the remaining question is what evidence supports your injury claim. California Courts lists photographs, medical records and other evidence among the materials that can matter in a personal injury case. A report dispute is one part of that larger review.
Common questions
Can I edit the PDF and send the corrected version to an insurer?
Preserve the original. Put your proposed corrections in a separate, clearly labeled statement and use the reporting agency’s process. An edited copy is not an official corrected report.
Does the police report decide who wins my injury claim?
No. A report can be important, but the claim also depends on evidence, applicable law and coverage. A court separately applies rules about what evidence it may consider.
Should I wait for the correction before speaking with a lawyer?
You can ask for help while the request is pending. Bring the original report, your proposed corrections and the documents supporting them. Identify any notice or deadline you have received.
Sources and further reading
Published by Aghabegian Law Group, P.C. General educational information, not advice about your circumstances. Laws, procedures and policy terms can change. Contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.