Car Accident Evidence to Gather After a Crash

Attorney Michael Greenspan | 888-392-6439 | Free Consult

If you’ve been in a collision, what types of car accident evidence should you try to gather immediately afterward?

Michael Greenspan is a personal injury attorney based in White Plains, New York. In this Quick Question, he explains what you should attempt to document after a car accident.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-392-6439 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Certain evidence exists to prove when, where, and how a car accident occurred.

The first thing someone should do after being involved in a car accident is to begin documenting the scene of the accident. Certain evidence exists after a car accident which can help prove how an accident occurred, what kind of damages arose from the accident, as well as who is considered liable for those damages.

For picture evidence, it is important to take thorough photographs of any vehicles involved in the accident as well as photographs of any other surrounding property which might have been damaged in the wreck. Photos of the injury itself can help prove the severity of the injury that occurred. Even photos that document the surrounding environment and weather at the time of the accident can be useful when recreating the scene.

If there are witnesses to the accident, it’s a good idea to collect their names and contact information. If they agree to it, you may even choose to record their testimony regarding what they saw. Finally, it is important to collect the contact information of the other driver or drivers involved in the accident. Names, phone numbers, insurance information, and even license plate numbers can all be helpful when it comes time to begin negotiating over damages.

It is important to seek medical care as soon as possible after being involved in a car accident.

Some injuries may not be felt until days or weeks after an accident, but waiting to seek care could have a negative impact on your case further down the road. Additionally, medical records proving the existence and severity of the injuries suffered in an accident can be vital evidence to a successful car accident case.

It is particularly important to avoid speaking with any representative of the other party’s insurance provider.

Unfortunately, this insurance company does not have your best interest at heart, so it’s important to refrain from speaking with them. The best thing an injured person can do after being involved in an accident is collect evidence as soon as possible from the scene and contact an attorney.

If someone is too injured to collect their own evidence, a loved one or attorney may do so on their behalf.

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for car accident victims to find themselves too injured to collect the evidence discussed above on their own. When this is the case, a family member or loved one may do so on the victim’s behalf. Similarly, an attorney can also do the same thing, and will likely be able to do so more efficiently and effectively due to their experience handling similar situations. If hiring an attorney to collect evidence and litigate your car accident case sounds financially out of reach, it may help to note that these attorneys generally offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis; this means the injured party will not be required to pay a penny unless and until their attorney wins their case.

To learn more, contact Michael Greenspan directly by calling 888-392-6439 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Video Transcript:

Rob Rosenthal:

Do you know what evidence you should gather if you're in an auto accident? We asked New York attorney Michael Greenspan in this AskTheLawyers.com™ Quick Question.

Michael Greenspan:

Well, the first thing you should do after making sure everybody is okay, is take photographs of the scene. We need to see what the cars look like or the other vehicles involved, what the scene looked like at the time. And what's very important is never under any circumstances do you wanna speak with a representative of the insurance company for the vehicle that caused you to be injured because nothing you say to them will be actually helpful to you, and instead it can and will be used against you in a court of law.

Disclaimer: This video is for informational purposes only. In some states, this video may be deemed Attorney Advertising. The choice of lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements.