car accident scene photos

How Accident Scene Photos Can Increase the Value of a Car Crash Claim

You have been hurt in a car accident—what comes next? While you may assume that getting fair compensation is a quick and easy task, that’s usually not the case. You can expect to go through several rounds with the liable party’s insurance company before you get a full and fair settlement. One thing that can help you get the compensation you deserve is a solid set of crash scene photographs.

Find out more about what type of photos you should take and how they can help. If you’re ready to get started on your personal injury claim, call the team at Wilkins, Bankester, Biles & Wynne at 251-928-1915 now.

Evidence is Paramount in Personal Injury Claims

In any injury claim, you have to prove what happened, who caused it, and how it led to your injuries. Even if you think that your injuries and vehicle damage speak for themselves, that simply isn’t the case. Insurance adjusters are very good at finding “what if” questions that shift the blame to you or at least create doubt regarding their client’s liability.

The solution? Evidence—as much as possible. The more evidence you have that backs up your claims, the harder it is for the insurance adjuster to insist that it should be interpreted a different way. Photographs are an excellent type of evidence and should definitely be part of your claim.

Photos Provide Context That Other Types of Evidence Cannot

No matter how careful and detailed you are in your retelling of the accident, there are details that will undoubtedly slip through the cracks. Memories fade with time, but photos can preserve those memories and ensure that details don’t get lost.

The context of an accident is clearer when you see it in photographs. Even an excellent verbal or written description can be hard to imagine in your mind, but photographs put it all on the table. In some cases, you can even get additional details from a photo.

Consider a photograph where the stoplight is available. Using the metadata of the photo, you can tell the exact time it was taken. From there, investigators may be able to figure out if the light was red, green, or yellow, at the time of the collision. This can prove who had right of way when the crash occurred.

What Photos Should You Take?

Taking the right photos can definitely help your injury claim, but don’t spend too much time worrying about which photos you should take. Instead, focus on taking as many photos as possible. Your attorney’s team can determine which ones should be used as evidence.

However, if you have a clear enough mind to think about the photos you take, try to capture these shots:

  • The damage to both vehicles from multiple distances and angles
  • Specific points of impact on both vehicles
  • Any injuries you sustained
  • Identifying information, including street signs, speed limit signs, nearby businesses, and landmarks
  • Property damage
  • Road debris, including glass, objects ejected from the vehicles, and broken vehicle components
  • Road markings and skid marks

You may also find it helpful to take photos of the other party’s insurance card and ID, versus just writing the information down. You can also take a photo of the instructions for getting a copy of the police report and any other important information you get—as you recover from the crash, you’ll be happy to have that information easily available.

Keeping Photos Safe

Technological errors happen all the time, and you shouldn’t have to worry about your claim being compromised because of a lack of photos. As soon as you get home from your accident, make a digital backup of your photos. You may want to store them on a cloud-based service and on your hard drive. In addition, send copies to your attorney as soon as you hire them.

Choose Wilkins, Bankester, Biles & Wynne for Your Personal Injury Claim

Ready to start your car accident claim? Let’s set a time to meet and discuss what comes next. You can contact us online or call our Fairhope office at 251-928-1915. Get the representation you deserve as you fight for compensation.

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