If you’ve been injured in a car accident and it was caused by someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation by filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. However, you will have to collect evidence proving that they caused the accident and showing what your losses are. Some of the most common types of evidence needed in a Washington, DC car accident case include the following:
Police Reports
Police reports act as the official record for your accident and typically include details from the responding officers, such as involved parties’ information, initial witness statements, drawings of the crash scene, and preliminary determinations of fault or traffic violations. Having a police report is often essential because insurance adjusters use it when deciding claims.
Photos and Video from the Scene
Images or videos captured leading up to and after the collision can serve as irrefutable pieces of evidence, documenting positions of vehicles, degree of visible damage, resting locations, injuries, skid marks, debris, weather, and more. Always look for potential sources of video footage, like traffic cameras, dash cam footage from involved vehicles, surveillance video from nearby stores, doorbell cams from houses nearby, or video from bystanders.
Witness Statements
Testimony from passengers or bystanders who saw the accident are important because they can explain their side of what happened and how the accident occurred. Obtain names, phone numbers, and email addresses from anyone who saw the crash occur. Later, your proven personal injury attorney can interview these people and get their side of the story, which can help corroborate your version of events.
Medical Records and Bills
Recording every doctor’s visit, diagnostic result, surgery, medication, note, and invoice is vital evidence for showing exactly how the accident occurred and what effect it has had on your health. Complete all therapy and treatment your doctor tells you to do so the insurance company can’t argue that you weren’t actually injured.
Proof of Lost Wages or Income
If your injuries kept you away from work, make sure you keep track of all lost wages. This could include notes from your doctor requiring medical leave, workplace absence letters, and paystubs showing how much you normally make. This can help show what money you’ve missed out on as well as how much you’re going to miss out on in the future.
Damage Estimates and Repair Records
Gather and organize repair estimates, invoices, towing/shipping charges, before-and-after pictures, and mechanic communications to clearly outline the true costs resulting from your property’s damage. Tracking all related expenses with supporting documentation ensures nothing is missed from your calculations of damaged property.
Black Box Evidence
Many newer cars have built-in technology that record details about speed, braking, steering, and more before and during an accident (known as “black boxes”). This can show what happened leading up to the accident and can give information on what caused the car or truck accident in Washington DC.
Cell Phone or Electronic Evidence
Records showing whether a driver was texting, talking on the phone, using navigation apps, or searching online just before the crash provide hard evidence of distraction. This can prove that someone else was likely responsible for the accident and what your losses are.
Expert Testimony
Expert witnesses also provide strong evidence to help you prove what happened and who is responsible. This could be medical experts, financial experts, or accident reconstruction experts, for example. Having credible expert witnesses can convince a judge or jury that you are entitled to compensation.
These are just some of the important pieces of evidence used in these cases. The best way to get everything you need to prove your side of the story is correct is to speak with a personal injury lawyer right away. Call us today to schedule a free consultation with a DC car accident attorney.