If you were injured in a car accident in Alabama, you can recover compensation for your injuries. To recover damages successfully, you will need to provide the right evidence showing how your accident was caused.
There are numerous ways to get the evidence you need to prove your car accident claim. You can start by gathering information from the other drivers involved in the accident and contacting the police to come and investigate. You can gather plenty of information in your case, so keeping all the evidence you collect organized is crucial. Even if you did not collect any at the scene, our lawyers can help you track down the evidence necessary to recover compensation.
For help gathering evidence for your car accident case, call our Alabama car accident attorneys at Howe Law. For a free case review, contact us today at (844) 876-4357.
How to Gather Evidence at the Scene of Your Alabama Car Accident
Gathering the right evidence is necessary to succeed in any car accident claim in Alabama. However, many victims might not be sure what information is important to their case and what questions they should ask. You can start your case off on the right foot by documenting your accident as soon as you are injured. One way to collect this information is to use a pen and notepad. If a notepad is not handy, you can record notes on the appropriate app on your phone. You can also take photos if you are having trouble finding words to explain what you are witnessing.
Information You Should Collect
Much of the important evidence that will be used in your case can be collected straight from the scene of the accident. While this information is incredibly important to your case, collecting it does not require any special legal training. Just keep in mind the “five Ws:” who, what, when, where, and why. By asking these basic questions, you will gather a great deal of evidence that our lawyers can later use to help recover compensation.
Be sure to collect the names and contact details of the driver that injured you and any witnesses that stopped to offer a helping hand. Either with a notepad or your phone, record important details like license plate numbers, types of vehicles involved, and any other information you think would be helpful.
It is also helpful to jot down more mundane details, like the time of the accident and the weather at the time. If you are able, include the names of the street you were injured on and its nearby roads. This can help paint an accurate picture of your accident’s setting later.
Of course, the most important information you can gather is the insurance and license information of the driver that injured you. A lawsuit can be filed against a negligent driver even if only their name and address are known.
In any event, report your accident to the police. If you cannot gather the information discussed, the police will likely be able to obtain it during their investigation. A police report will be made available to you afterward. Much of the information just discussed will be included in your police report. However, it is still critical to keep your own notes since it is possible your police report contains errors.
Remember to write clearly so you and your attorney can make sense of your notes when the accident is not as fresh in your memory. Our Birmingham car accident lawyers can help you organize the information you gathered to give you the best possible chance at recovering the compensation you are entitled to.
How to Organize Your Car Accident Evidence
Collecting evidence after being injured in a car accident in Alabama is only half the battle. The other challenge is organizing and presenting your information in a way that makes your story understandable to the court. As mentioned, you can organize your information with a pen and notepad.
However, our lawyers understand that, in the 21st Century, many people do not have notepads lying around. Smartphones, though, are something that virtually everyone is equipped with today. If you are more technically oriented, you can organize your evidence right on your phone using a note-taking app of your choice. Regardless of the notes app you prefer, your notes should be able to be downloaded or emailed directly to our office so our attorneys can begin reviewing them.
If you are unfamiliar with notepad apps or how to use one, you can record your thoughts via video or audio recordings. Most camera apps have a setting to switch to video. This can be a useful alternative if you are having trouble getting your information down in writing. Whatever option works best for you, be sure to label each entry with the date, time, and reasons for making the note. With this information, our attorneys will be able to identify any additional evidence and witnesses that could be used to prove your car accident claim.
Using Photos as Evidence in Your Alabama Car Accident Claim
As discussed above, photos can be incredibly powerful evidence to prove exactly how your injuries were caused. For instance, photos of vehicle damage can strongly indicate how the accident occurred and the likely scenario leading up to the collision. These photos can also show the extent of your vehicle’s damage. If pictures show a vehicle with significant damage, the court can reasonably conclude that the crash occurred with great force, and the victim is likely injured to the extent they claim in their lawsuit.
In most cases, victims will use their smartphones to take photos of their accidents. If so, be sure you have your phone set up to take high-resolution shots so smaller details can be observed. When photographing, the best technique is to take wide shots to capture as much of the scene as possible. This will help give context as to where the parties were in relation to each other and where the vehicles ended up on the road. Our team can help you organize your photos so that every important detail is preserved.
Our Alabama Car Accident Lawyers Can Help
If you were injured in a car accident our Johns Creek car accident lawyers can help you gather and organize your evidence. Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free evaluation of your case.
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