Car accidents are traumatic for the people involved in them no matter how minor or severe they are. Victims of car accidents must deal not only with the property damage and inconvenience the accidents cause, but they also often have bodily injuries, too.
If you have been injured in a car accident and you want to prove your case to the responsible party’s insurance company, you will need to present visual evidence that shows the accident’s impact on you. At a minimum, you will need pictures of:
- All the vehicles that were involved
- All the people who were involved
- The accident scene
Here are some tips to follow if you want to make sure you take effective pictures of an accident scene.
Start Snapping Photos as Soon After the Accident as You Can
Even in the dizzying moments immediately following impact, you need to be aware that the clock is ticking. You will not have another opportunity to take candid pictures of the vehicles and the people involved or of the accident scene in the condition it was in when the accident took place.
Remember That Quality and Quantity Are Both Important
Striking the right balance between quality and quantity can be difficult. Just remember that you need to get pictures of as many people and objects involved in the accident as you can, but also that the people who look at those pictures need to be able to figure out exactly what is in them.
Operate Under the Assumption That More Will Always Be Better
If you have even the slightest inkling that you may want a picture of something, take it. You can always get rid of the picture after the fact if you decide you do not want it, but you cannot go back in time to the scene of the accident to take more pictures of the people, objects or places involved. Get them while you can, and be sure you get as many of them as you can. You will thank yourself later.
If You Have to Hurry, Know Ahead of Time How to Prioritize Your Subjects
If you are being rushed to vacate the accident scene and only have time to take a few pictures, you need to make the most of your time. Pictures of the vehicles involved and the people involved are most important, but you may need to focus specifically on the portions of the vehicles that were damaged and the outwardly apparent injuries the people involved suffered.
These are the most valuable photographs you can take. Other visual evidence can help you provide context, but your claim will be more difficult to prove without pictures showing the accident’s direct effects.
Save All of Your Pictures in a Secure, Easy-to-Remember Location
No matter how well you document the accident’s aftermath, you need to make sure all your pictures are saved in a place that is both secure and easily accessible for you. If the only place that exists is on your phone, you should save them on another device and email them to yourself just in case you lose your phone or the data stored on it.
To make sure you maximize your benefits it is imperative to understand the whole car accident lawsuit process. The importance of finding a lawyer who knows how to stand up the responsible party’s insurance company and will help you recover the compensation you are rightfully owed cannot possibly be overstated. Instead of going it alone, find an attorney who knows how to protect your rights so justice can be served.