Everyone knows that they should never use their phone while driving, as it can often distract and cause devastating accidents. Yet, when it comes to using your phone after a car accident- it is a must.
Following an automobile collision, it is imperative that you not only use your phone to call 911 to get the police to the scene. But you start collecting evidence of the accident by taking pictures of it with your phone. These pictures can ultimately help support your injury claim and protect your legal rights. In the blog below, we will go into this issue further by discussing why taking pictures after a car accident is so important.
Photographs are Critical Evidence of a Car Accident
Photographs can do more than just show the damage and injuries you endured after a car collision. They can also show how this accident occurred, especially when an insurance adjuster does not believe you when you tell them what happened or how bad your injuries actually were. In these situations, a picture is worth a thousand words and can help substantiate your accident claim.
That is why it is so crucial to take these pictures as they can help show:
- Your vehicle’s damage
- Your injuries
- Factors that contributed to the car crash
When taking these pictures, you need to make sure you take as many photos and videos of the scene and include:
- Skid marks on the road near the site of the crash
- Interior and exterior damage to all the vehicles involved in the crash
- Any roadside debris
- Bodily injuries that arose from the car accident and during the recovery period
- Traffic signals and signs near the accident
- Construction markers, cones, and materials on the roadway
- Proof of the bad weather conditions at the time of the accident
- License plates of all the drivers involved in the accident
Generally, an experienced car accident attorney can use these photographs and videos to show not only how the accident happened but to document your injuries and economic losses with the goal of achieving maximum compensation on your behalf.
What Happens If I Do Not Take These Photos After a Car Accident?
Unfortunately, if you do not take photos of your injuries and the accident, the at-fault’s insurance company may dispute how the accident occurred and who should be responsible for the losses and injuries that you sustained. Basically, it will come down to your word against the other drivers.
For instance, a failure to photograph injuries and damages, such as skid marks, can make it hard to show the extent of your injuries or that the other driver involved in the crash slammed on their breaks in an attempt to stop their car suddenly. Potentially proving that they were negligent and not paying attention to the road as they were driving.
What Type of Pictures Do I Need to Take of the Car Accident?
Car accident scenes are often quite chaotic, filled with many moving parties. However, it is imperative that you obtain good photos from every angle so that your lawyer and their experts can develop solid theories about the crash and what happened. That is why if you are ever involved in a motor vehicle accident, consider the following tips to ensure you obtain the photos you need:
- Get multiple shots of every element involved in the accident, including the vehicles, your injuries, and any road defects.
- Get pictures from various distances, including panoramic photos of the entire accident scene.
- Get photographs from different angles and heights, as this can provide your attorney with further information regarding the losses and damage that resulted.
What Do I Do If I Cannot Get Pictures After an Automobile Accident?
Typically, the best time to take pictures of a car accident is immediately after it, while you are waiting for the police to arrive, but before the cars are moved. Unfortunately, getting these shots is not always possible. Sometimes, if you suffer severe injuries following a car collision, you will need emergency medical help- making it impossible for you to obtain these pictures.
In these instances, you may consider the following:
- Ask someone else at the scene to take the photos, such as police officers who responded to the car accident, investigators, and witnesses.
- Obtain videos of the accident from traffic cams or security cameras that may have caught the accident on tape
- Ask family members or friends to go to the scene and take these pictures upon hearing from you after the crash.
However, if these options do not work, do not worry. When you hire an experienced automobile accident lawyer to take on your claim, these attorneys can handle this process for you. Not only can these lawyers contact friends or family members on your behalf to start collecting pictures of the accident, but they can also hire their own investigative team to start collecting evidence as soon as possible.
Ensure You Get the Evidence You Need
Following a car accident, it is very likely that the last thing you want to do is look for relevant evidence that can help prove fault and damages. Fortunately, when you retain an experienced and knowledgeable car accident attorney, you will not have to tackle these legal nuances on your own. Instead, you can focus on what matters most- your health and recovery, while these lawyers take on this legal battle for you by:
- Investigating your accident thoroughly and securing critical evidence to show what happened and who was liable.
- Holding all the wrongful parties accountable for the harm you sustained.
- Bringing in experts such as accident reconstructionists and engineers to substantiate your claims
- Fighting for the maximum financial recovery, you are entitled to
If you or a loved one has been harmed in a car accident, do not wait to seek the legal help you need. Contact Allan Berger & Associates today or call us at 504-526-2222 for a free case review, and let us show you what we can do for you and your claim.
