A The Complete Guide To Auto Accident Claim From Start To Finish
Preserving and Protecting Evidence in a Car Accident Case
If liability is in dispute, there could be a large gap between the insurance company's claim and the extent of your injuries. This is especially true if the insurance company is blaming something other than negligence for the accident.
During this time, your team will request information from the other party through depositions and interrogatories. These questions will be put to the other driver as witnesses as well.
Conserving Evidence
In a car accident case, the evidence that you possess can significantly increase the chances of obtaining an award and recovering damages. This is why it is vital that you keep and protect all evidence after the crash.
Fortunately, it is now easier than ever to do this thanks to the advancements in technology. Smartphones can be used to capture quality photos and videos of the scene of the crash. Using these tools can help preserve important evidence that could otherwise be lost or destroyed.
The crash site itself and witnesses are among the most important evidence. In the ideal scenario, you should attempt to capture the scene of the accident in the exact condition it was at following the collision. This could include all vehicles involved in the accident, any skid marks on the road and weather conditions, traffic signals and other important factors.
It is also advisable to contact local businesses to ask them to keep any evidence relevant to your case. For instance, if were struck by a truck then requesting that the black truck's box be preserved could prove valuable to your case.
You may also find it beneficial to request a testing of the other driver if you suspect that they were negligent or on drugs. The tests could prove that the driver was intoxicated or distracted, which could be a strong indicator of their negligence for causing an accident.
Documenting auto accident lawyer mission
In personal injury cases documentation is essential. This not only ensures that your healthcare provider is aware of your symptoms but it will also assist your attorney to prove your losses and damages when filing a claim against the liable party for negligence.
One of the most important types of documentation is medical records. Whenever you visit your doctor for treatment following an accident, ask to be provided with copies of each document. These records are official documents describing your injuries, symptoms and diagnoses. Furthermore, these documents will detail any expenses that you have incurred in the aftermath of your accident. This is important as a lot of these expenses are reimbursable as part of your compensation claim.
It is also recommended to keep a log of your mental and physical state after the accident. This should include any pain you experience and the areas of your body are affected, and when the pain occurs. If you are suffering from any emotional trauma, it's crucial to document this also, since juries frequently give non-economic damages to victims of this type of suffering.
If you're able then it's also a good idea to take photographs of your injuries as well as the scene of the crash. This can include photographs of your vehicle, other vehicles involved in the crash, and any damage that may have occurred to other objects (such as an object or a sign). It is best to capture multiple images of each object from different angles so that the investigators can see the exact cause of the crash.
Collecting Witness Statements
Ideally, witness testimony should be obtained as soon as possible after an accident. Keep in mind that people's memories fade as time passes. It is best to have witnesses give their statements as quickly as they can. The more detailed a statement is, the more detailed. It is also recommended to record any interview with witness (with their consent obviously) because this will help ensure that the testimony of the witness is true.
It's also worth looking for witnesses outside of the immediate area of your accident. You could ask local business owners if anyone witnessed your accident. This could lead to footage of your crash captured on the security camera in a store that may be useful in your case.
It is also important to ensure that any statements made by witnesses do not contain opinions, feelings or guesses about the result of the accident, or feelings of sympathy for the other victims involved. These statements can be damaging to your credibility, especially when they are contradicted by a different witness. You should avoid asking for the testimony of anyone who knows the person at responsible for your injuries or has any connection to their employer, as they could attempt to influence your claim to the benefit of the company they represent. If this is the case, you may not be able get the compensation you need.
Contacting an attorney
Think about whether a lawyer has the resources to conduct an extensive investigation into your accident. This could include examining the scene of the crash, conducting interviews with witnesses and acquiring other documentation of the crash and your injuries.
After reviewing all the documents after reviewing all the documents, your lawyer will begin the settlement negotiation process with insurance companies for the driver responsible. This is done to ensure that you receive an appropriate settlement without having to go through an appeal. Your attorney could negotiate with the insurance company many times before coming to an agreement.
The severity of your accident will have a significant impact on the amount of compensation that you receive. Severe injuries can lead to higher medical bills and more lasting effects, requiring more intensive care. Some car accident victims may require surgery to correct long-term injuries. The cost of these surgeries would be included in the total amount of your economic damages.
Your attorney will also be considering the future medical requirements of you and the diminished quality of your life due to your injuries. If you sustained permanent injuries in an accident that forced you to remodel your home to allow you access to all of it, you can include the cost of this in your non-economic damage.