The Evidence You Need to Make a Case

Making a case for your car accident and the injuries you sustained from it may not be as easy as it seems. As convenient as it would be if you could simply stake a claim that the liable party is at fault, and they owe you compensation for the damages, there is a tremendous amount of evidence that is required to back those claims. You must have enough of this evidence to prove that the responsible party owes you, and how much the total of the damages is. Having an experienced attorney on your team can be extremely beneficial for gathering and utilizing this evidence. Let’s take a look at some of the items you may need in order to make a case.

Evidence From the Scene

When you have been involved in a car accident, there are certain pieces of evidence that should be collected while you are on the scene. It may be difficult to keep track of what evidence you need to gather, so we have compiled a brief list of our suggestions.

Witness Reports

If you are able, before you leave the scene of the accident, gather testimonies from those who witnessed the accident, and take down their contact information. If you are unable, have someone else on the scene collect this for you and send them to you.

Official Reports

In addition to the witness testimonies, if possible, you should obtain a copy of the official accident report from the officers on the scene. If a copy cannot be accessed, ask for an official report to be filed, and take down the report or case number in order to access information later on.

Visual Reports

While on the scene, either you or someone else should take photographs of the cars involved and the surrounding area, as well as any hazards that may have contributed to the accident. The pictures can be extremely valuable in proving liability and displaying damages that occurred.

Medical Reports

When involved in an accident, it is crucial to have a medical examination completed on the scene. If possible, get a copy of this medical report. In addition, keep track of any followup appointments, medical bills, procedure reports, and more.

Evidence to Prove Liability

So far, the evidence that has been gathered focuses mostly on the facts of the accident itself. Typically, this evidence is hard to refute, but it may not prove who is at fault for the accident. In order to have a case and successfully achieve the outcome you desire, you need to have evidence that shows who is liable for the outcome. While witness reports and photographic evidence may help to prove this liability, there are some other pieces of evidence that may be required as well. Video surveillance, for instance, can be an extremely powerful display of how the accident transpired. If your accident took place around businesses or other buildings, reach out to see if a copy of the surveillance footage can be obtained.

Additional Evidence

Some additional information may be important in regard to proving the total of damages incurred. While this information may not make or break the success of your case, it could increase the amount of compensation that you are owed. Paperwork detailing the total cost it will be to repair the damages of your car, the price of your rental car during this time, and the increase in your insurance fees due to an accident you were not at fault for, could all be considered beneficial to totaling the amount of compensation you are owed. In addition, the costs associated with your injuries, such as medical bills, therapy visits, loss of income due to inability of work, and other similar fees, could contribute to this as well.

As you can see, there is a lot of information and evidence to collect in order to make the most of your car accident case. If you have been involved in a car accident and need legal assistance, contact our experienced attorneys for representation today.