Dealing with a car accident is very traumatic, and that’s why it’s very important to take good care of yourself. Making sure that you call 911 and get your injuries attended to is crucial, and it will help a lot more than expected. With that in mind, you also need to think about evidence acquisition. Getting as much evidence as possible is crucial, as you want to show that it was not your fault. And naturally, this will also affect the compensation you are receiving, so it’s incredibly important to focus on.
Why do you need evidence for your car accident claim?
Evidence is crucial because you want to show the other driver breached the duty of care. You also need to show that their negligence was the cause behind the accident, and it was not your fault. Plus, you suffered damage due to their negligence, so they have to pay your medical bills and other expenses. However, insurance companies never take your word anyway. They need to come and investigate, see evidence and then they figure out whether they offer you any money or not.
Police accident report
It’s the main car accident claim evidence you need, because it has a lot of information about the accident. Normally, it will cover the driver and vehicle info, date and time but also location of the crash, statements from witnesses and drivers, officer observations, road/weather conditions and preliminary fault determination. All of these things are important and you have to take them all into account.
Video evidence and photos
After all, pictures are worth 1000 words, and videos are just as important. It’s a good idea to take photos of the vehicle damage, license plates, skin marks, road conditions, traffic signals, debris, visible injuries and weather conditions. That way, you have enough proof to back up your claim. And it’s always going to be worth it to have such information.
Medical records
If you claim that there are any injuries, you have to show any medical records. And those should include things like emergency room records, ambulance records, MRIs or CT scans, diagnosis reports, treatment plans, prescription records, physical therapy notes, medical bills and so on. If possible, show the financial impact of the treatments and medication.
Proof of lost wages
When you have injuries that prevent you from working, it’s possible to claim lost income. You will need to show evidence in the form of pay stubs, tax returns, employer verification letters, time-off records, as well as disability documentation.
Witness statements
Having a written statement from the witnesses will always make your claim stronger. Statements can be in any way, be it recorded, written statements, contact info and so on. If the witness states that it was not your fault and you have that on record, it’s very helpful. Your Louisville car accident attorney will certainly be happy with the results, and it’s certainly worth recording all these statements
Documenting the property damage
A lot of the time, insurance adjusters will use the property damage as the means to reconstruct the accident. That will help them figure out if your claims are true or not. Because of it, you always want to keep the repair estimates, mechanic reports, total loss documentation, towing bills, as well as rental car receipts, if necessary.
Surveillance or traffic camera footage
Some cities like Louisville will have traffic cameras, especially in intersections. It’s important to try and grab any footage that proves a red light violation, any sign of speeding, and which can easily capture distracted driving. If you have that type of footage, it will be very helpful, as it can help eliminate a lot of issues.
Cell phone records can also be handy if distracted driving is suspected. These records will show app usage, but also call activity and text messages sent. If there is activity at the time of the impact, then this is great evidence to have in court. And rest assured that your legal representative will do their best to use that info when possible.
Social media activity
Many insurance companies these days will go ahead and review your social media profiles. They will check what you post, tagged photos, public comments and so on. If you slip up and admit fault in any of these posts, they will know and naturally, your claim will not stand.
Conclusion
It’s clear that having enough evidence to support your claim is crucial. That’s why you want to accumulate as much evidence as possible. Not only will that help support your claim, but you can prevent many possible issues or concerns that arise. In the end, what matters is to ensure that you have evidence that’s clear enough so you can back up your claim. Once you do that, you can focus on getting compensation from the driver at fault.