When you sustain injuries in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, you may wonder how you can seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering from the responsible party or parties.
It’s an unfortunate reality in many car accidents that each driver believes the other is responsible. And of course, each party’s insurance company is trying to deflect as much legal liability from its driver and itself as possible. Photos after your car accident are very important.
A car accident happens quickly, and in the resulting chaos, the details can become fuzzy. Many accidents occur because one or more parties fail to observe something, so it can be difficult to determine what happened during a car crash simply from the testimony of the participants and the eyewitnesses.
Memories fade and can be imperfect from the start. That’s why it is very critical to take photos of your car accident. Photos don’t lie, and they can be used by experts to reconstruct what happened during the accident and determine who was at fault. In some cases photos may be the key to obtaining the best possible recovery in your motor vehicle accident injury claim.
It is important to note that the first thing you should do after your accident is to ensure that you, your passengers, and the occupants of any other vehicles involved in the accident get the emergency medical attention they need. Your priority should be to contact emergency services.
Only after you’ve ensured that everyone is safe should you turn your attention to taking photos of the crash scene. If you are unable to do this yourself due to your injuries, ask someone at the scene to do it for you.
What Should I Take Photos of After My Car Accident?
If you can, take photos of the car accident scene as soon as possible after the accident. Getting photos right away will allow you to capture details about the scene that might be lost in the minutes or hours after the accident.
If you are taking photos immediately after the crash, some of the details you’ll want to capture include:
- Weather – Photos of current weather conditions can help demonstrate if weather could have been a factor.
- Light Conditions – If sun glare or another lighting condition obstructed a driver’s view, having photos could be beneficial.
- Position of the Vehicles – Try to get photos of the vehicles before they are moved from where they came to a stop after the accident
- Damage to the Vehicles – Pictures of impact points can assist in accident reconstruction.
- Damage to Surrounding Items – Photos of damage to signposts, road signs, light poles, benches, mailboxes, etc. can be beneficial in determining how the accident happened.
- Road Conditions – If snow and ice, oil spots, potholes, etc. were a factor, get photo documentation
- Skid Marks – These marks can also assist in accident reconstruction and in determining the cause of the accident.
These details can be lost quickly when the weather changes, the accident scene is cleaned up, and any damage is repaired.
Other details that are less likely to change and can be photographed later may include:
- Stop signs and traffic signals
- Road markings, such as lane dividers, stop lines, and crosswalks
- Road signs, such as speed limit signs or informational signs
- Intersection layouts
However, you don’t want to wait too long to take these photos as traffic controls and intersections can be changed at any time.
Why Do I Need to Take Photos?
Having photos of your car accident can be the best evidence to demonstrate how it happened and who is at fault.
Photos can be used by an expert, known as an accident reconstructionist, to give their opinion as to how the accident occurred. Based on those opinions and other photographic evidence of the road conditions and configuration, speed limits, and traffic controls, your attorney will have credible evidence to argue how the accident occurred and how other parties were legally responsible.
Without photos, your personal injury claim may come down to a case of “he said, she said.” Having photos can give you irrefutable proof of what happened in your accident.
What If I Can’t Take Photos?
You should never endanger yourself further if it is not safe to take photos of the accident scene. Some crashes take place on busy highways or interstates, and you don’t want to risk further injury by taking photos with traffic all around you.
You may have been severely injured in your car accident and physically unable to take photos. If a fellow passenger is physically able to take pictures, have them do so. If you don’t have an able passenger, a family member or friend who can quickly and safely reach the scene may be able to take photos for you. You could also ask an impartial person already on the scene to shoot photos.
Depending on the severity of the accident, police may be on the scene and may not allow people to walk around freely, both for their safety and to prevent them from inhibiting the police investigation of the accident. If they do investigate the accident, you may be able to request photos from the police department.
How Will My Photos Help My Case?
With photos of your car accident, the Norcross car accident attorneys of Kevin A. Adamson, P.C. can help you seek justice and the compensation you deserve. We recognize that each client’s case is unique. As a result, having photos of your car accident can help us to tell the story of your accident.
Our experienced car accident attorneys can use the photos of your car accident to understand what led to the crash. In conjunction with accident experts, we may be able to use the photos of your car accident to determine whether someone was speeding, ran a red light or stop sign, failed to yield, or did something else to trigger the accident. Witness testimony, while useful, can still be unreliable or not credible. In contrast, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Contact the Car Accident Attorneys of Kevin A. Adamson, P.C. Today
If you were hurt in a car accident in the Greater Atlanta area, the Norcross personal injury attorneys of Kevin A. Adamson, P.C. are ready to use your crash scene photos to pursue maximum compensation for you.
Car accident cases are complex, but we pride ourselves on our track record of winning the tough cases. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation, call us or contact us online to talk to one of our experienced car accident attorneys.