If you were injured in a car accident and would like to pursue legal action, taking photos at the scene can be one of the most important things you can do to bolster your claim. Read on and give our skilled Panama City car accident attorney a call today.
What should I take pictures of after my car accident?
All Cars Involved
It is important that all of the cars that were involved in the accident should be photographed, even if there is no damage to one of them. The photographs will be helpful in identifying the cars involved (license plate, make, model, color). Property damage to the cars should also be pictured. If safety permits, take photos before the cars are moved. Take as many photos as you can and ensure you also get shots close-up and from a distance. This is critical to establishing the location of impact, the force of collision speed of travel, and direction of movement. Take pictures of the front windshield of the other drivers’ cars. Sometimes an object is hanging from the rearview mirror that blocks their view of the road.
Accident Scene
Take pictures of the road and weather conditions, traffic signals and signs, and overall roadway layout. Pay attention to tire skid marks, broken glass, or other things left on the pavement. Sometimes visibility is an essential factor in a car accident, so look for large objects that may have obstructed drivers’ view of the road. If there’s a possible argument concerning the color of the traffic light (i.e. red light versus green light), make a video that displays the timing of the lights at the intersection for all paths of travel.
Physical Injuries
Your injuries will slowly heal over time, so you should take pictures right after an accident. Pictures of your injuries will help others identify your physical condition after the car accident. Sometimes your medical practitioner will prescribe devices including an arm sling, cervical collar, walker, etc. Take photographs of these devices and, if you can, keep these devices in a safe place even after they become unnecessary for your medical treatment. These devices may be used as evidence in your case.
Important Tips
Make sure to set your digital camera or cellphone so that the date (and, if possible, time) is visible in the photo itself. This will help solve the problem of having to remember when the photograph was taken if asked later on. Also, back up your digital photos by saving them onto a second hard drive, copying them onto a thumb drive, burning a copy onto a CD or DVD, and/or printing out the photographs. The last thing you want happening is losing these pictures because of malfunctioning technology.
Contact our experienced Florida firm
Our firm proudly handles injury claims, insurance disputes, hurricane claims, fire loss claims, commercial litigation, and construction law matters. To discuss your case with our experienced Panama City personal injury attorneys, contact Manuel & Thompson, P.A. today.