Most of us use our car as an everyday routine of our lives, and the chances that we will be involved in an accident are substantial. Knowing what to do after a car accident should be part of every driver’s repertoire. If you are ever involved in a car accident, the first thing you do is see if anyone involved needs medical attention and immediately call for emergency medical services as needed and contact the police.
As you are waiting for the police to get to the scene, it would be a wise move to document the accident so that it helps bolster your insurance claim or enhance your legal case. Do so only if you do not require medical attention and the car accident scene is secure enough for you to take photos without putting yourself, or others, in danger.
The Importance of Car Accident Photos
Aside from eyewitness testimony and law enforcement reports, a car accident photograph could be the only tangible evidence that can be collected from the scene.
Once you have recognized that everyone in your car is in the clear and you proceed to take photographs, do so with an eye that you will possibly file a personal injury claim or even get sued by the other driver’s insurance company. Take pictures of vehicle damage, the scene, and possible weather conditions. Try and take pictures in manner that documents why the accident occurred.
Even if you believe that you were at fault, car accident photographs could show specific conditions that could lessen your liability. A group of photographs is formidable account that shows the positions of the vehicles, the weather, and other significant aspects that might seem trivial to you at the time but that could be very important as part of a legal case in the future.
A photograph is also important because a person’s memory on the precise details of car accident is often fuzzy at best. Coupled with head injuries and the trauma of the accident, plenty of drivers are unsure of what to do.
Car Accident Photograph Tips
As previously mentioned, the optimal time to document a car accident is right after it occurs. The better that you can take photographs of the exact position of the vehicles and have your pictures show specific conditions surrounding the collision, the more helpful your pictures will be as evidence.
Before you take pictures of the collision, keep in mind that are doing so to document evidence and not for the purpose of sharing the pictures on social media. It is fun to take pictures with artistic creativity, but with car accident pictures you should be more mindful that you are doing so for the purposes of gathering evidence.
Keep in mind the following tips when you take car accident photos:
- An overview of the scene can be accomplished by taking photos of the entire accident scene from several angles. Take pictures that display the position of the involved vehicles as they relate to each other; to the roadway; along with any other objects such buildings, trees, guardrails, and others that might be significant.
- A photograph of the position of traffic lights, signs, and other indicators relating to the collision scene will provide valuable evidence for accident reconstruction specialists and investigators.
- Your overall overview pictures might show the weather, but try and take a few pictures from the viewpoint of each driver’s relative position at the time of the collision, as that can add some detail with regard to other weather factors. Weather can play an important factor in why your car accident occurred.
- Document visible damage to each vehicle, along with around the perimeter of each car and take close-up photos of dents, scratches, broken glass, deployed airbags, and other visible signs of damage. If it is safe to take pictures on the inside of the car, you should do so.
- Take pictures of property damage beyond the vehicles, which can extend to items belonging to the drivers or passengers of the parties involved and external property as well. Capture any guardrails, street signs, sidewalks, lampposts, trees, or anything stationary that could have been damaged as result of the car accident, along with any property damage to items in your car.
- Although you can take a photograph of any visible injuries that you have, do not take pictures of the other person’s injuries, especially without their permission. Doing so might escalate any mounting tension that is best resolved by giving the police your account of why the accident happened.
- Take pictures of the other drivers’ licenses and registrations, along with any involved vehicles’ license plates. The police who respond to your car accident should notate the information as well, but safeguarding these documents provides you with copy, along with records that you can keep. Police officers are busy and can make a mistake in recording information that could make a difference between a successful insurance claim and an unsuccessful one.
Pictures can detail a lot about car accident, including the direction in which the drivers were traveling, the impact of the collision, and the resulting damages. Even if something seems trivial to you, it could be useful information to someone who will help you prove that the accident was not your fault. Keep in mind that if you suffer personal injury, your lawyer needs to prove liability. Also, photos are also used to help an accident reconstruction expert recreate the collision to prove which driver was at fault.
Mount Laurel Car Accident Lawyers at the Law Office of David S. Rochman Advocate for Clients in Car Accidents
If you have suffered a personal injury as result of someone else’s negligence in a car accident, the skilled Mount Laurel car accident lawyers at the Law Office of David S. Rochman can help you get the compensation for which you are entitled. We can help fight on your behalf while you concentrate on your health. Call us at 856-751-2345 or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation. Located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout Mount Laurel and surrounding areas.