Accident report

What does Accident report mean in American Law?

The definition of Accident report in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:

There is commonly a statutory duty placed upon all persons involved in accidents involving vehicles (including airplanes and boats) leading to more than trivial property, or any bodily, injury, to file with the police or other regulatory agency a report thereof. Many automobile accident (self-insuring and liability) insurance policies contain a similar requirement to file such a report with the insurance company. Many governmental and private enterprises also require by internal rule that employees involved in accidents, whether leading to injury of self, a fellow employee, or a member of the public, file reports thereof with superiors. As all of these accident reports are a rich source of admissions and declarations against interest, and are thus admissible under exceptions to the hearsay rule in subsequent litigation growing out of the accident, they are important to a great deal of tort and insurance litigation.