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Gathering Evidence at Scene of Accident

The first couple days after an accident are essential for locating and saving evidence from the scene and making note of injuries. It is highly recommended that you follow these instructions as soon as possible.

Go back to the accident scene.

If the accident took place somewhere besides your residence, return to the scene in search of evidence, and take snapshots of anything in the area that could have played a role in or caused the accident. You may stumble across something that you hadn't identified at the time of the incident such as a broken stop light. At the same time, you could also come across a witness to your accident willing to talk.

Pictures should be taken from numerous points of view, especially from your perspective right before the accident occurred. Make sure the photographs are from the same time of day that the events unfolded as well to recreate the scene as realistically as possible. If it was a car accident, the photos should be taken on the same day of the week to simulate the amount of traffic.

Preserve physical evidence.

Physical evidence, or proof that you can see or feel, sometimes illustrates who is liable for an accident better than a verbal or written description of the scene. Examples could include:

  • An unstable step that led to a fall.
  • A dent in a vehicle showing where it was hit.
  • A low hanging branch blocking your line of sight on a bike path.

Physical evidence may also provide insight into the degree of an injury; destruction to an automobile can help explain the level of impact, and ripped or bloody clothes can disclose how severe the victim's physical injuries may have been. Make an attempt to save physical evidence as it appears at the scene, or if this is impossible, take pictures of it. These photos can be shown to an insurance provider at a later date as evidence of the events that unfolded.

Find eyewitnesses.

Someone who witnessed your accident firsthand can really be to your advantage when stating your claim to an insurance company. A witness can confirm your beliefs about what happened from their point of view, or they may have knowledge of something you were unaware of that further supports your cause and shows that another person involved is to blame. Even if they did not see the actual accident, a witness may have seen the victim writhing in pain afterwards, confirming that your injury caused you a great deal of discomfort. Witnesses should be contacted shortly after the accident before their memories have a chance to fade and their stories are no longer credible.

Document all injuries.

If you want to make sure none of your injuries go unnoticed, report them to your physician immediately. Also, take pictures of marks, cuts, bruises, or enflamed areas of the body. Casts, splints, bandages, and other protective gear can be photographed as well. Lacking evidence of your injuries will not bode well for you when you have healed because at that point, it will be your word against the insurance provider's.

Any evidence that you are able to gather will make it easier for you and your personal injury attorney to build a case.