What Evidence Should I Gather at an Accident Scene?
If you’ve suffered an injury in an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you can seek compensation for your full range of covered losses through a personal injury claim, which will hinge on evidence. To bring a successful claim, you’ll need to prove that the other party is at fault and will need to prove the full extent of your legal damages – or losses. When it comes to bringing a strong personal injury claim, one of the most important steps you can take early on is consulting with an experienced Charleston car accident attorney.
Focus on Your Health and Well-Being
If you’ve been seriously injured, it’s far more important to get the immediate medical attention that you need than it is to worry about evidence gathering. The good news is, however, that you can almost certainly count on others at the scene to help you out with this. Ultimately, nearly every bystander that witnesses an injury-causing accident has a phone on them that can capture a good deal of evidence.
Evidence that Helps Prove the Other Party’s Fault
If you can collect evidence at the accident scene or need to direct others in the kind of evidence that can help, keep all the following in mind:
- The accident report, such as for a slip and fall accident, or the police report, such as for a traffic accident
- Photos and videos captured just prior to or during the accident and at the accident site
- Any dashcam or security camera footage that’s available
- Eyewitness testimony
- Your own account of how the accident happened
- Any physical evidence gathered at the scene of the accident
Sometimes, proving the other person’s liability in the matter is straightforward, such as when a drunk or distracted driver plows through a red light, but in other instances, it is much more challenging. You can count on your trusted personal injury attorney to gather the evidence necessary to bring your strongest claim.
Evidence that Helps Prove the Extent of Your Losses
Another aspect of your claim that will need to be proven via evidence is the extent of your covered losses in each of the following categories:
- Property damage, such as to your vehicle in a car accident
- Your medical expenses, which may be ongoing
- Your lost earnings, which may include lost earning potential
- Your pain and suffering, which can be immense
The kind of evidence you’ll turn to prove the scope of your losses includes all the following:
- Your doctor’s report, including your prognosis
- Your medical bills and related costs projected into the future
- Your own account and the accounting of others who know you well regarding how the accident has affected your life
- Your payroll stubs and any projected losses
- Bills that demonstrate your physical and emotional pain and suffering, such as bills related to treatment for pain or talk therapy
An Experienced Charleston Personal Injury Attorney Is on Your Side
If you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence, Robert Wyndham at Wyndham Law Firm is a knowledgeable personal injury attorney who dedicates his practice to building solid claims that protect his clients’ rights and their rightful compensation, and he’s on your side. Learn more by contacting us online or calling us at 843-279-5312 today.