If you’ve been in a car accident and the police report lists you as ‘Unit 1,’ you might assume that means you were at fault. That’s not necessarily true.
Attorney Brian Dettman explains that the unit designations on a police report are simply how the officer organized the information. Unless the officer witnessed the crash, their report is based on statements and evidence gathered after the fact – and they don’t always get it right.
One commenter offered an alternative interpretation: ‘Typically unit #1 is the STRIKING vehicle, not the unit at fault.’ Dettman noted that in Louisville and Kentucky, Unit 1 is generally interpreted as the at-fault party, which is why the distinction matters so much to clients.
From a legal standpoint, police reports are often considered hearsay and may not be admissible as evidence in court. A jury will never hear that you were ‘Unit 1’ or ‘Unit 2.’ What matters is the actual evidence of what happened.
Dettman notes he’s recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars for clients who were listed as Unit 1 on police reports. If you’ve been in an accident and you’re concerned about how the report was written, it’s still worth consulting with an attorney to understand your options.
*Comments referenced above are from social media discussions, not client testimonials, and were accurate as of the time this article was created.*
Being ‘Unit 1’ on a Police Report Doesn’t Mean You’re at Fault
Unit 1 does not always mean fault.
https://www.tiktok.com/@dettmanlawinjurylawyer/video/7574191193379114270
I might regret posting this because a lot of Unit 1 drivers might call me, but just because you are Unit 1 on a police report does not mean that you were at fault for a crash. It means that the police officer made a judgment call and thought something. But unless the police officer was there at the scene at the time of the crash, that police report is hearsay. It is not coming into evidence. No juror is ever going to hear that you were Unit 1 or Unit 2. I’ve recovered probably hundreds of thousands of dollars for drivers that were listed as Unit 1. I mean, if you’re at fault, right? If you straight up rear-end somebody and you’re listed as Unit 1, no lawyer in the world is going to be able to help you. But the police don’t always get it right. So if you are Unit 1, you should still contact a lawyer to see if there’s anything to do in the case.
