What Evidence Should You Preserve After an Accident?
If you have ever been involved in a vehicle accident, then you understand that the aftermath of these incidents can become confusing and chaotic. With your adrenaline pumping, it is often hard to know exactly what the right thing to do is. After obtaining medical care for any person injured, which is the most important thing to do immediately following a crash, there are steps that those involved can take to help preserve evidence.
Evidence preserved at a car accident scene is a crucial component used to prove liability for the incident. Here, we want to discuss simple steps that car accident victims can take immediately following a crash and in the days and weeks following the incident in order to preserve evidence for their claim.
Obtain and Preserve As Much Evidence As Possible After a Car Accident
At the scene of the crash, the single most important thing for you to do is obtain medical care for yourself or any other person injured in a crash. If you are not seriously injured and if it is safe to do so, there are some steps you can take to help secure evidence that can be used to determine liability.
Use a phone or another device to take photographs of vehicle damage, injuries, debris around the scene, skid marks, causes of the crash, traffic and weather conditions, and more.
Get the names and contact information of any eyewitnesses to the incident.
Ask the responding police officer about how you can obtain a copy of the accident report.
Even if you are unable to gather much evidence at the scene of the crash, you may be able to return to the location at a later date. While most of the evidence pertaining to the incident will likely be cleaned up, you can still take pictures of road conditions, impact areas, sign placement, or any other evidence that may be useful for the case.
In the days and weeks following a crash, you could benefit from the assistance of a skilled car accident lawyer. An attorney will have the resources and legal expertise necessary to obtain additional evidence that you may not know how to get. This can include the following:
Video surveillance footage from nearby businesses or homes that may have caught the incident.
Cell phone or mobile device data records.
Vehicle “black box” data records.
Information pertaining to any traffic citations or criminal charges against other drivers involved.
The Importance of Medical Records
It is crucial that car accident victims seek medical care immediately following the incident. Additionally, crash victims should follow all treatment recommendations made by their physician until they have reached maximum medical improvement. These medical records will be perhaps the most important evidence needed to prove that you are owed compensation following a crash.
Consider Working With a California Car Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one have been injured in a vehicle accident caused by the careless or negligent actions of another driver, you need to consider working with a skilled Ontario car accident lawyer as soon as possible. If an attorney gets involved early, they will be able to obtain and to preserve additional evidence that you may not have had access to. An attorney will be able to synthesize all of the evidence gathered after a crash, work with trusted medical experts, and help secure full compensation for your losses.
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