According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 36,560 traffic fatalities in the year 2018 at a rate of 100 fatalities per day. There were 2,710,000 injuries as a result of motor vehicle crashes that year as well. Car accidents are an all too common occurrence but in order to seek justice by recuperating your losses, you’ll need to establish who’s liable with proof.
If a victim is interested in recovering damages for their injuries in a car accident case, then it’ll be up to them and their personal injury lawyer to provide proof of the defendant’s negligence. The plaintiff will be responsible for demonstrating in court that the defendant caused the accident and the plaintiff’s ensuing injuries and property damage. Evidence in their case may include the following:
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The plaintiff is also responsible for producing substantial information including their account of how the crash transpired, claims of their physical injuries and trauma, as well as the wages they have lost and will lose as a result of employment opportunities missed.
Even if the accident seems minor, it’s important to gather the following information before leaving the scene:
When speaking with the other drivers, it’s important to get their name, contact information, make and model of their vehicles, insurance information, driver’s license numbers, and vehicle plate numbers. Having all of the following information will be pivotal in settling your case or trying it in civil court.
Calling the police and having a police report made will ensure that you’re following the state law, some states say that it is a crime to have an accident without contacting the police, as well as protecting your rights to seek damages. A police report will help substantiate your testimonies and prove that the other driver is at fault.
Taking photos and videos of the scene could help your car accident attorney gain valuable information that could support your case. It’s important to take pictures of any skids in the road, traffic signals, damages, debris from the crashed vehicles, traffic cameras, and whatever information that could appear minuscule at the moment but may prove valuable in seeking recoveries in your claim.
If there were witnesses at the scene of your accident, it would behoove the plaintiff to gather their contact information as well and even get a video recording of their account of the accident. A civil case may not be tried for months and getting their testimony recorded about what they just witnessed could be invaluable to your case.
Repairing a vehicle may be the most expensive part of crash recovery. Keeping detailed records of repair bills and estimates can help those ruling in your case, rule favorably after the fault has been established. You may need to rent a car while your vehicle is being repaired as well which could be costly.
Keeping a journal of all the costs you’ve acquired, including receipts, dates, times, and the individuals you saw for medical appointments and car repairs will help you to keep track of your expenses and assist your car accident lawyers in recovering your damages.
