How To Obtain An Accident Report In Wisconsin

Summertime in Wisconsin is perfect for enjoying time on the water. Whether you are setting sail on a family-friendly pontoon, fishing boat, or old canoe, a day on the lake just can’t be beaten.

However, there are safety risks involved with boating. Speeding, negligence, drinking, and inexperience are all common causes of boating accidents in Wisconsin. In this post, we want to share a few tips to help you stay safe on the water this summer.

How to Stay Safe While Boating in Wisconsin

Wearing a life jacket - According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 80% of boating accident deaths could be avoided by wearing life jackets. When a boating accident occurs, you have limited time to stretch and get your stowed life jackets. Therefore, it is advisable to ensure that you and everyone on board has a life jacket while boating.
Avoid drinking alcohol - Alcohol consumption while boating is illegal and endangers the lives of everyone on board. Remember that intoxicated swimmers and passengers are also more likely to drown.
Be weather-wise - Whether you are operating a boat during the summer, spring or fall season, always consider carrying a radio and watching out for the weather. Sometimes, wind shifts and choppy water can be telltale signs of a brewing storm. Get to shore as soon as you realize the weather is about to change.
Don’t overload the boat - It’s essential to follow your boat’s load limit restrictions. Overloading your boat can make it unstable and surge the risk of swamping or capsizing.
Ensure all operators are trained - Human error is a leading cause of boating accidents. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all operators can effectively navigate and operate the boat. You can do this by ensuring boating operators take a boating safety course that includes reading the weather, boat handling, and navigation.
Maintain a safe speed - Like on the road, you can face penalties or fines for overspeeding on the water. Since there are no lanes on water and different water vessels zig-zag everywhere, it can be challenging for speeding boats to avoid collisions. Therefore, it is essential to ensure you excess caution and obey the speed limits.

What Should You Do After a Boating Accident?

After a boating accident, you should ensure that everyone on board is safe. If there are injuries, loss of life, property damage in excess of $2,000 or the total loss of a boat, you are required to report the incident to law enforcement without delay.

As with other accidents, it is essential to gather evidence immediately. You need to collect police reports, witness testimonies, videos, and photos of the scene. A Milwaukee boating accident attorney will help you gather the evidence you need to establish a strong case against the party at fault.

Contact a Milwaukee Boating Accident Attorney

At Natasha Misra Law, we are ready to help you get the compensation you need to move forward after a boat accident. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can assist in strengthening your case.

Why Is An Accident Report Important?

An accident report is an important document that is used to support your personal injury claim after a car accident. When an accident is reported, the law enforcement officer responding to the scene will usually prepare an accident report. The accident report contains crucial information relating to the officer's investigation of the accident. This information includes the name of the parties involved in the accident along with insurance information.

What Is In An Accident Report?

An accident report will provide comprehensive details about the accident. The responding law enforcement officer will usually prepare an accident report to document the investigation of the accident. The accident report usually contains information about who caused the accident, where the accident took place, what time of day the accident happened and other conditions. It also contains the names of the parties involved in the accident along with insurance information. If there are witnesses to the accident, the officer will usually include such information in the report as well. All of this information can be used by personal injury attorneys and insurance companies in the investigation of the accident.

How To Get An Accident Report In Milwaukee

An accident report also known as the "Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Crash Report" is available online through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for a small fee. Generally, a reportable accident may take up to 10 days and sometimes longer to appear on the government website. Non-reportable accidents, meaning accidents that do not involve injury, substantial property damage or damage to government property, are treated differently and will not be on the Wisconsin Department of Transportation portal and will usually require an in-person, mail or email request from the responding law enforcement agency.

If you were injured in a car accident in the City of Milwaukee, you can also search for your accident report using the Traffic Accident Lookup page on the Official Website of the City of Milwaukee. To request information about a non-reportable car accidents, you can send a mail or email request to the Milwaukee Police Department Open Records Section. If you cannot find your accident report after 10 business days, you can call the Milwaukee Police Department Open Records Section at (414) 935-7435 for further assistance.

Contact A Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

When you are injured in an automobile accident, you require diligent representation that will fully investigate your case. Milwaukee Personal Injury Attorney Natasha Misra will help you obtain your accident report and use the accident report to support a personal injury claim against the driver who caused your injuries. Contact Natasha Misra Law today for a free consultation and speak with a Milwaukee car accident lawyer today.

Natasha Misra

My law practice is dedicated to helping people who have suffered injuries in accidents which were not their fault. Born and raised in Milwaukee, I come from a family of medical professionals. My background and experience help me understand and represent individuals injured in accidents.