How to Get a Police Report After a Car Accident in Parkersburg, WV

If you get into a car accident, you should request a police report as soon as possible. Insurance companies and others consider this document to be a factual record of what happened. As such, you’ll need to rely on it if a lawsuit or other legal proceedings arise from the accident.

The good news is that it is relatively easy to get a police report in Parkersburg, WV. Read here to learn the process, along with more about why a police report is important, how to file a police report, and how to amend one if you make a mistake or think of additional important details. If you were injured in an accident and not at fault, call our West Virginia car accident lawyers for a free consultation.

Obtaining a Police Report

If a car accident in WV involves death, injuries, and/or apparent property damage of at least $1,000, police officers are required to investigate and prepare a report within 24 hours after the investigation is complete. Here is how to request a copy of a police report:

Contact the Police Department That Completed the Report

For an accident that occurred in Parkersburg, call the Parkersburg Police Department at (304) 424-8444. They will provide you with a copy of the report if you provide the date of the accident, names of the drivers, names of any pedestrians who were injured, witness names and contact information, etc.

For accidents that happen on a highway or interstate, you will have to call the West Virginia State Police, which is responsible for investigating such incidents. The number there is 304-746-2128. They might require you to pick up a copy of the report in person, although there is a chance they will agree to mail you one. You also can mail in a Crash Report Request Form.

Pay the Required Fee

The Parkersburg Police Department will charge a small administrative fee for each copy of a police report. The West Virginia State Police charges $20 plus an additional  $1 per page for each page over 50. These dollar amounts are current as of February 2025, and are subject to change.

The Importance of a Police Report

A police report records what happened in an accident, according to the investigating officer – details like who was involved, what vehicles were involved, when it happened, the weather conditions, and more.

Insurance companies and other interested third parties rely on the police report to provide an objective account of what happened. For example, an insurance company will need to see the report before processing any claims related to the accident. The parties involved also will need the report to resolve any disputes with an insurance adjuster.

Just as importantly, if the accident results in a lawsuit, all of the parties and their attorneys will go over the report thoroughly. They will use it during settlement discussions, as well as at trial if the case gets that far. Among other things, the report can help establish liability for the accident if it includes, for example, negligent behavior on the part of one of the drivers. 

Filing a Police Report 

West Virginia drivers must file a police report if they are involved in an accident in which someone dies or is injured, and/or in which it looks like there is at least $1,000 worth of property damage. If the crash occurred in a municipality, the report must be filed with the local police department. In other cases, the accident must be reported to the West Virginia State Police or the county sheriff.

Report an accident that occurred in Parkersburg, WV, to the Parkersburg Police Department. You cannot file a police report online.

Police officers are required to investigate an accident if it meets the criteria above and prepare their own report. During their investigation, an officer will come to the scene and try to determine what happened by talking to the drivers and any witnesses who saw the crash. 

A police report is not legally required in West Virginia if the accident did not involve death, injury, or at least $1,000 in apparent property damage. However, we strongly recommend that drivers report any accident they are involved in because injuries may not be apparent right away, and because it is often hard to accurately estimate the extent of property damage.

Also note that the threshold for reporting accidents to the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is at least $500 in apparent property damage and/or injury or death.

Lastly, folks involved in an accident can make mistakes in their initial police report. If this happens, they may call the law enforcement office where the report was filed and inquire about how to correct any factual errors.

Don’t try to navigate the car accident process alone – if you were injured, call our personal injury law firm to pursue fair compensation. We would be happy to provide a free consultation.