If you’ve been in a car accident, then you probably already know that evidence can be crucial for your auto insurance claim. If your case happens to go to court, you will need to provide your car accident attorney with additional evidence that can support your claim. But what kind of evidence do you need to have when you speak with your legal representative to build a case?
Ask a Car Accident Attorney: What Kind of Evidence Should You Prepare?
Experienced Houston personal injury attorneys understand that having a variety of evidence to support your claim is an essential component for winning a case. The type of evidence you will need will depend on the severity of your claim and whether or not your case is advancing to trial.
Usually, car accident cases will not go to trial unless comparative negligence has been triggered by either driver. You and your car accident attorney may only need a small amount of evidence if you are trying to get a settlement from your insurance company. If you have been seriously injured in a car accident and your case has advanced to trial, then you will likely need more evidence to support your claim so you will be able to claim compensation.
Crash Report
A crash report is one of the simplest but most effective pieces of evidence you can use. A crash report notates the details of a collision, including the date and time of the accident, drivers who were involved, and other details related to the car crash. The crash report can be obtained free online.
Your crash report can also be combined with a police report that will include statements that were taken at the scene of the accident. Police should be called after an accident if you are unable to move cars, if anyone was seriously injured, or if there is any suspicion that DUIs were involved in the accident.
Witness Testimony
It may be relevant for your case to include witness testimony: people who witnessed the accident and who will be able to provide details about how the accident happened. Witness testimony can be crucial to establishing liability in a case. Witness testimony can also include testimony from your friends and family, from your employer, and from medical professionals who gave you treatment after the accident.
Medical Records and Bills
You will also need evidence such as medical records and medical bills. Your first medical record after the accident will record the treatments you needed, as well as any recommended procedures or ongoing treatments you needed to recover from your injuries.
Your medical records will be used to establish the severity of your physical injuries and will also provide a cost analysis of your injuries through medical billing statements. Your medical records and bills should start from the day of the accident and should include any ongoing treatments you have had since the accident relating to those injuries.
Proof of Insurance
In Texas, it is illegal to drive without auto insurance and drivers who do not have auto insurance can face steep penalties. At the very least, drivers should have liability insurance to cover the damages related to an accident. Even if you have insurance, you will need to provide proof of insurance to your lawyer. Proof of insurance is just one of the many establishing documents you need, which can include your photo identification and your Social Security number, both of which will be used on legal documents.
Video and Photographic Evidence
You may also want to gather video and photographic evidence. A picture can paint a thousand words, particularly when it comes to highlighting the extent of damages after an accident. Video evidence, in particular, can show the moments leading up to an accident and what each driver did after the accident, including whether or not drivers were visibly injured. Photographic evidence should include pictures of the vehicle damage and other details of the scene of the accident, such as the road condition.
Other Details
There may be other details that will be relevant to your case, such as whether the other vehicle had passengers or whether the other driver was driving recklessly under the influence. These details can have a huge influence on your case, especially if anyone was seriously injured in the accident. Other details related to your case may be relevant, such as weather reports or forensic testimony from accident reenactment.
Whether or not your case advances to trial, you will still need to provide evidence to your car accident attorney to prove your claim after an accident. Some of the evidence you may need can include proof of insurance, medical records and bills, video and photographic evidence, crash and police reports, and witness testimony. All of these pieces of evidence will be used to build your case so you can get the compensation you deserve.
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