quick-newt-7185/12/2026

Delivery van blew a red light and totaled my car — now I'm stuck in limbo with no info

I still can't fully process what happened. I was heading through an intersection on a green light when a delivery van came flying through from my left and hit me so hard my car spun halfway around. Airbags went off, both passenger-side doors won't open at all, and my car is 100% gone. Towed straight from the scene.

I got taken out by ambulance. Turns out I have a fractured rib, a deep laceration above my eyebrow that needed stitches, and some kind of soft tissue damage in my shoulder and neck they're still sorting out. The rib makes breathing deeply genuinely awful.

Here's where it gets infuriating. The responding officer apparently listed the other driver's employer info incorrectly on the report — wrong company name, partial plate — and now I'm being told the report won't be corrected for weeks because of staffing issues. So the at-fault driver's insurance is basically unreachable right now. Nobody will give me a straight answer.

My own insurance opened a claim but keeps hinting I should just let them handle it and "not complicate things." That doesn't sit right with me.

I'm also dealing with the fact that I was just getting back on my feet financially. I need my car to get to work. I have no idea how long I'll be on modified duties. I'm exhausted, I'm in pain, and honestly I'm scared about what my face is going to look like once this heals.

Has anyone navigated getting the police report corrected AND dealing with an at-fault driver whose company info is wrong? I don't even know where to start.

8 replies

Most helpful first

clear-sparrow-7485/12/2026
Oh my gosh, the wrong info on the police report thing happened to me too. I was rear-ended by a company vehicle and the officer transposed digits on the plate number. It took my own persistence — calling the precinct directly, asking for the records division specifically, and submitting a formal amendment request in writing — to get it fixed. Don't wait on the officer themselves, go around them. Also get a copy of the current report right now even if it's wrong, because you need a paper trail showing what it said before any corrections.
careful-grouse-7255/12/2026
That line from your insurer about not "complicating things"? That's a flag. They're protecting their own subrogation interests, not yours. Be very careful about giving recorded statements or signing anything that limits your rights against the at-fault party before you know the full extent of your injuries. Rib and shoulder stuff can linger in ways that don't show up on initial imaging.
quiet-newt-4025/12/2026
I used to work claims and I want to be honest with you — when a police report has bad info on the at-fault party, adjusters use that as a reason to slow-walk everything. It becomes a "liability verification issue." Don't let them stall indefinitely though. You can request that your own insurer pursue a direct investigation using the dashcam footage, witness statements, or delivery company records independently of the police report. They have tools to locate the at-fault carrier. Push for that in writing.
- careful-swift-8955/12/2026
  A few practical things: First, file a formal written request with the police department's records unit to amend the report — most departments have a specific form for this. Second, if you know even the general delivery company or saw any logo on the van, you can often identify the carrier through the company's own insurance filings, which are public record in most states. Third, keep a daily journal of your symptoms, what you couldn't do, how much work you missed. That log becomes really important if this ever goes further than an insurance claim.
clear-heron-8625/12/2026
Please keep up with your follow-up appointments even when you're exhausted, especially for that rib. Fractured ribs can mask other issues — splinting your breathing to avoid pain can sometimes lead to partial lung complications. And the fatigue you're feeling is real and physical, not just stress. Your body took a massive hit. Also make sure whoever is treating you is documenting every symptom, even the ones that seem minor or unrelated. That documentation matters later.
- daring-elk-5405/12/2026
  I just want to say I'm really sorry you're going through this. You were literally doing everything right — green light, minding your own business — and now you're in pain, your face is healing, you're stressed about work and money, AND you're fighting bureaucratic nonsense. That is so much. Please lean on whoever you have around you right now. You shouldn't have to be managing all of this alone while you're still physically recovering.
careful-sparrow-6295/12/2026
Not legal advice, but: the incorrect police report doesn't kill your claim — it just makes early steps harder. Evidence like traffic camera footage, witnesses, and the delivery company's own dispatch records can all establish liability independently of the police report. If the at-fault insurer stays unreachable and your own insurer isn't moving fast enough on your transportation and medical needs, a consultation with a PI attorney is worth it. Many take accident cases on contingency so there's no upfront cost. Just something to know.
mellow-seal-5175/12/2026
Three things to do this week: 1) Get the police report in hand today, errors and all. 2) Call the records division and ask exactly what their amendment process is and get it in writing. 3) Check every intersection on your route for city or business cameras — footage usually gets overwritten in 30 days or less, so this is urgent. Don't wait on the officer, the insurance company, or anyone else. Move now.