Lawyer "obtained" my name from police department.

[Zandy595]

I got, what I thought was advertising junk mail from a lawyer's office yesterday and was going to throw it out, but something made me open it. It contained a copy of the police report from a fender bender I was in over the summer. WTH! How is it legal for the police department to sell your name and police report like that? The police report has my driver license number, VIN, birthdate, phone number, license plate and of course my address on it. I didn't know they could do this and I'm not real happy about it.

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

I think...I may be wrong...but that info is public information and I think lawyers can access it without paying.

 

[HM]

So, the lawyer is asking if you want to sue the other driver, is that it? That's pretty nervy of him/her. Sorry that happened.

I know that reporters can access accident reports at the police station...so it must be open to the public...but I'm surprised at how much info they can get. I'd just assumed names, dates, and such for accidents was available...not personal "financial" info.

 

[cepmom]

I got those letters too after I was rear ended last October. I also got letters from collision places to have the car repaired. The police report must have mentioned that I hurt my neck also, because I also got solicitations from chiropractors and physical therapy offices Doesn't seem right, but I guess it's public information.

 

[marthachick]

When we were rear-ended and the person fled the scene, we were bombarded with junk mail from lawyers. Since both DH and I were in the car, we both would receive letters to the same address!

 

[allison443]

I got, what I thought was advertising junk mail from a lawyer's office yesterday and was going to throw it out, but something made me open it. It contained a copy of the police report from a fender bender I was in over the summer. WTH! How is it legal for the police department to sell your name and police report like that? The police report has my driver license number, VIN, birthdate, phone number, license plate and of course my address on it. I didn't know they could do this and I'm not real happy about it.

Like another poster said, I believe these are public records-the police department isn't really "selling" your information.

Lawyer advertising is regulated on a state-by-state basis. Some states allow the mail solicitation like you received, others do not.

I'm curious if the other driver's info was on the report you received? We got one of these once from a minor fender bender and the other driver's info was redacted.

 

[mjkacmom]

These letters are how I learn about DH's speeding tickets - they all show up at once!

 

[james'mommy]

I was rear ended last month and I ended up with solicitations from 18 lawyers and 5 chiropactors.

 

[Tuffcookie]

I work at a police dept and yes, all traffic accident reports are public record. We have these "abulance chasers" in the office every day looking over the latest accident reports. They do not pay a dime to the police dept for them.

TC

 

[Piecey]

Yep... public record.

My car was broken into and a bag was stolen out of it. I figure it was a kid (I lived across the street from a school) but I had to have a police report filed because the keys to the bank I worked for were in the bag.

The police agreed to do something or another so that the name of the bank, or the use of the keys, or whatever-- wouldn't show on the public police report. (so that whoever had the keys wouldn't figure out what they were for.)

 

[sbell111]

It's a public record. I could go and get a copy of your accident report if I felt like it.

 

[BeenHereB4]

Hi there. I'm a legal secretary and worked for a personal injury firm years ago, and although that particular office didn't do that, many do. They have a "runner" that goes to the police dept daily to copy all accident reports. The secretary will look them over and send out a form solicitation letter to the parties involved if the case looked "good" or even just "good enough". In NY, personal injury is a HUGE $$-maker for lawyers.

Up until this past June I worked at an office for a municipal court lawyer. He did speeding tickets, DUI, etc. We paid a service to track tickets, etc at the local police departments and they automatically sent out our postcard to the ticket recipients. We got 95% of our ticket business that way. Big $$$ for very little work.

 

[NotUrsula]

In some jurisdictions there is a charge for a copy of a police report. In mine, it's $12/copy, payable only in person, in cash. I had to go and get 3 of them when I had my identity stolen, and it was insult added on injury. Charging third parties makes perfect sense, but if you are the victim of the crime or accident in question, you should get at least one free copy.

DH is an attorney, and he has to pay for copies, too. (FTR, he's not a personal injury attorney, so he very seldom needs them.)

 

[Zandy595]

Like another poster said, I believe these are public records-the police department isn't really "selling" your information.

Lawyer advertising is regulated on a state-by-state basis. Some states allow the mail solicitation like you received, others do not.

I'm curious if the other driver's info was on the report you received? We got one of these once from a minor fender bender and the other driver's info was redacted.

Yes, all of the other driver's info was on the report too.


You learn something new everyday... I never realized anyone could get that kind of info. No wonder identity theft happens so often.

 

[MM27]

I've been getting letters from lawyers/law firms daily. I got a speeding ticket last week and seems like they all want to represent me. The letters all mention that the information was accessed through public records, so yes, they have the right to it.