What Evidence Do I Need to Gather for My Auto Accident Case?

One of the first things that needs to be gotten for evidence in an auto accident is to get the police report. This is basically a report that covers all of the necessary details. Those who reported to the scene will gather information such as:

• Who was involved
• Date
• Time
• Location
• Damage inflicted
• Injuries sustained
• Vehicle information

The list can go into much more detail than these previously listed, but those are the basic needs. Each police report is different based on the auto accident and what the scenario is. This official government document is used to help if there is an investigation, insurance claims or possible prosecution.

A police report is not always required for every single auto accident. That decision is made by the reporting officer(s) and their assessment of the scene. If there are no police called to the scene, there will be no police report to be had. As stated before, each scenario and police report, if needed, is very different.

The testimony or “story” given by someone who was involved in the auto accident or of someone who watched the accident take place is very important. The details given by the one or many witnesses can help determine exactly what happened as well as who was at fault. This later helps with insurance coverage, investigation details and more.

There are many things that are reported from the eyewitness, such as:

• License plate
• Car type
• Drivers’ identities
• What happened before the accident
• What happened after the accident
• Behavior of drivers
• Who was at fault
• Filling in details that could have been missed

There are times where the eyewitness’s testimony can potentially be unreliable or skewed. As emotions, stress, panic or shock can put a hindrance on one’s memory or account of what happened, it is always best to have multiple eyewitness testimonies if possible. Some things that can help with an eyewitness testimony could be getting photos, videos or recordings of what happened. Some people will take photos of the accident site right after the incident. This will allow the damage to be seen as it is fresh and just happened as well as see what happened before any of the vehicles or people are moved or out of the way of traffic.

Being thorough in these scenarios can be key to the outcome of the accident as a whole with the investigation.

Unfortunately, roughly 43% of auto accidents result in some sort of injury. This means at nearly every auto accident scene, the medical history and reporting of pain and injuries is very important. Often, injuries can take hours or even days to fully set in, which is why you must report any uncomfortable feelings or where your body may have been impacted. The delay or late reporting of injuries can also cause issues with reliability, therefore making it more difficult for your claim to be granted and making it harder to prove your case.

After the auto accident has happened, it is very important to gather the information of the other drivers who were involved. This includes:

• Name
• Phone number
• License plate number
• Insurance information
• Address
• Make and model of their car
• Policy number
• Driver’s license number

Having this information allows you to be and feel secure in a case where you need to get in contact with them again to settle any claim details, clarify accident details, deal with compensation issues and more.

There are many more steps that can be taken to make sure the proper evidence is gathered in an auto accident. These are just a few to start out, but if it is a bit too much to remember, consider making a list and keeping that list in your glove compartment or wherever it is that you keep your insurance and driver’s information. That way when you go to gather all the papers you will need, you’ll also have a list of the steps that should be taken to gather the proper evidence.

Auto accidents are scary. They are emotional, hard, scary and so many more things. Make sure you are being thorough with what information you need to gather and what the proper protocol is. This will ensure that the best outcome happens for all parties involved.

If you’ve been involved in an auto accident and need help gathering evidence, our experienced team can assist you. To schedule a free case consultation, contact us today at 888-813-3188.