Clear images are only part of a useful photo submission. Connect each file to the claim, explain its context, preserve originals, and track what still needs review.
A North Carolina crash report can be hard to follow when the same person or vehicle appears in several places. This short glossary explains the labels used in a DMV-349 report so you can find the relevant entry and ask a precise question about it.
Unit, person and owner are different labels
- Unit number: the identifier used to connect a vehicle or other reported unit with its entries elsewhere in the report. More than two vehicles can require additional forms.
- Person type: identifies a person as a driver, passenger, pedestrian or pedalcyclist. It is different from the unit number.
- Non-motorist: a reporting category with separate instructions for people such as pedestrians and pedalcyclists. Do not assume every person listed drove a vehicle.
- Owner and insurer: separate fields from the driver information. A named owner, driver and policyholder may be different people.
Narrative, diagram and contributing circumstances
The narrative is the investigating officer’s written description. The diagram depicts the reported movements and collision setting. Contributing circumstances are coded entries for possible contributing actions or conditions. Use the NCDMV DMV-349 Instructional Manual to decode the exact field; a number in one box can mean something different in another.
Try a three-part reading check
For example, if the narrative says “Unit 2 turned,” first find Unit 2’s identity, then read its movement entry and the diagram. Write down any mismatch as a question: “Does this arrow show the same turn described in the narrative?” Do not silently change the copy or fill an unclear space from memory.
Keep the page number, box label, exact entry and reason for your question together. If there are continuation pages, supplements or a later copy, retain each version with its received date. A missing page can make an otherwise understandable entry seem contradictory.
What the labels cannot decide
A unit number does not establish fault. A report entry also does not settle an injury diagnosis, insurance coverage or the amount of a loss. Keep the report alongside the underlying photographs, accounts and other records instead of treating its shorthand as the complete answer.
For requests, possible errors and version tracking, see the guide to reading a North Carolina police report. When a report leaves a disputed issue unresolved, the firm’s car-accident claim guidance explains available legal help.
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