Preserving and Protecting Evidence in a Car Accident Case
In cases where liability is not clear, there could be a significant gap between the insurance company's offer and the full extent of your injuries. This is particularly true when your insurance company claims that you are responsible for the negligence of someone else for your accident.
During this time your team will request for information from the opposing party through interrogatories and depositions. These questions will be asked to the driver in question, as well as witnesses.
Preserving Evidence
In a case involving a car accident, the evidence that you possess can significantly increase your chances of winning settlement and recovering damages. This is why it is important to keep and secure all evidence after the crash.
Thanks to the advances in technology, this is easier than ever before. Your smartphone can be used to capture high-quality pictures and video of the scene of your crash. Utilizing these tools can help record important evidence that would otherwise be lost or destroyed.
The most critical pieces of evidence include the actual accident scene and any witnesses. It is important to record the scene of the accident shortly after the collision. This could include all the vehicles involved in the crash, any skid marks left on the road or other surfaces, weather conditions, traffic signals as well as other factors that are relevant to the crash.
Additionally, you should consider making contact with any companies or businesses that are near the accident location to request that they keep any evidence that might be relevant to your case. If you were struck by a truck and requested that the black box be preserved it could be helpful to your claim.
If you suspect that the other driver was on drugs or otherwise negligent, requesting their narcotics tests may be beneficial in your case. These tests could prove that they were drunk or distracted while driving, which could be a strong proof of their fault for causing the accident.
Documenting Your Injury
Documentation is essential in personal injury cases. Not only will this ensure that your healthcare provider is aware of your condition and symptoms, but it can also help your attorney prove your damages and losses in a lawsuit against the party responsible for negligence.
One of the most important forms of documentation is medical records. Request copies of your medical records whenever you visit your doctor to receive treatment after an accident. These records will serve to describe your injuries, symptoms, and diagnoses. Additionally, these documents document any expenses incurred in the aftermath of your accident. This is crucial because a lot of these expenses could be reimbursed as part of your compensation claim.
Keep a diary of your physical and mental state after the incident. This should include any pain you feel as well as the parts of your body are affected, and when the pain occurs. If you are suffering from any emotional trauma, it's important to document this also, since juries typically award non-economic damages for the same type of pain.
If you're able and able, it's also beneficial to take photos of your injuries as well as the scene of the crash. This can include photographs of your car, any other vehicles involved in the collision, as well as any damage that may be caused to other objects (such as signs or buildings). It is advisable to take multiple images of each object from various angles so that the investigators can identify the exact cause of the crash.
Collecting witness statements
In an ideal world, witness statements would be collected as soon as possible after an accident. It's important to remember that people's memories fade over time, so it's important to ask witnesses to provide their statements as soon as possible. The more specific the declaration, the more detailed. It's also recommended that any interview with a witness be recorded (with their permission of course) as this can help to ensure an accurate description of what they saw.
It's also worth looking for witnesses outside the immediate area of your crash. You could ask local business owners if anyone witnessed your accident. This could result in footage of your accident being captured on a security camera of a shop.
It's also important to make sure that any statements from potential witnesses do not contain guesses, opinions or feelings about the result of your accident, or sympathy for other victims of the collision. These statements can be damaging to your credibility, particularly when they're contradicted by a witness. It is recommended to not request statements from anyone who knows the person at blame for your injuries, or has any connection to their employer, since these individuals may try to influence your claim in favor of the company they represent. If this is the case, you might not be able get the compensation you require.
Contacting an attorney
When evaluating an attorney take into consideration whether they have the resources necessary to conduct extensive investigation into your crash. This could involve visiting the site of the crash, talking to witnesses, and gathering additional documentation regarding the incident and your injuries.
Once your attorney has viewed all the documentation they can collect, they will begin the process of negotiating a settlement with the insurance company of the driver at fault. The goal is to negotiate an equitable settlement without the necessity of an appeal. Your attorney may have to negotiate with the insurance company multiple times before a settlement is reached.
The severity of your injury will have a significant impact on the amount of compensation that you receive. The most severe injuries can lead to more expensive medical bills and lasting effects, requiring more intense care. For instance, some butler reedley auto accident lawyer accident attorney - vimeo.Com - accident victims might require surgery to repair long-term injuries caused by an accident. The cost of these surgeries would be included in the total cost of your damages.
Your lawyer will also take into account the medical needs of your future as well as the reduced quality of your life due to your injuries. If you were permanently injured in an accident that required you to remodel your home in order to be able to access all of it, you can include the cost of this in your non-economic damage.