To win an injury case, you need some kind of evidence to support your claim. What constitutes “evidence” is incredibly broad and can even include your own testimony about the accident. However, there is other important evidence to collect after a car crash.
After a car crash, it is important to collect the name and contact info of any drivers involved as well as any witnesses. You should also get vehicle information for all vehicles involved (e.g., make, model, license plate number). If there are any cameras nearby, getting copies of the footage can also be incredibly helpful, but you should also take your own photos of the damage, the accident scene, and the surrounding roadway.
For help collecting evidence and bringing an injury claim for a car accident in New York, call the Westchester car accident attorneys at The Martello Law Firm. For a free case review, call us today at (914) 685-6950.
Types of Evidence to Collect at the Scene of a Car Crash in NY
At the scene of the accident, there is a wide range of evidence you can collect. If you were severely injured and need to leave the scene of the accident to get medical care, focus on that first. In many cases, police will collect this evidence as well and include it in a report, but you should still collect it yourself if you are able to, as the police might not be as thorough as you will.
Contact Info for All Parties and Witnesses
To be able to sue someone for causing your car crash, you have to know who they are. Ask all drivers involved in the accident for their names and contact info. That should include at least an address and a phone number, but an email address might also be helpful.
You should also get the contact info of any witnesses to the crash. This includes passengers as well as any bystanders who might have seen the accident. Especially on crowded city streets, there might have been dozens of people who saw the accident, and at least some of them might be willing to make a statement.
Insurance Info
When getting contact info from the other drivers, get their insurance info as well. This will help later if you need to file a claim against their insurance provider. This is especially helpful if you were injured as a biker, motorcyclist, or pedestrian since you will primarily be relying on their insurance instead of your own no-fault insurance. Make sure to get this info to your White Plains car accident lawyers.
Photos and Videos
If there were witnesses to the crash, some of them might have had the idea to pull out their phones and record what was happening. If they are willing to send you the video, that will be immensely helpful.
Other nearby cameras might have also captured the accident on tape, such as dash cams of nearby vehicles, security cameras at nearby homes or businesses, or cameras on an ATM.
If you have a cell phone or camera, also take your own pictures of the accident scene. Make sure to get the damage, any injuries, any dangerous road or weather conditions, and any signs or traffic signals in frame. Take both close-up shots of the damage and injuries as well as wider shots to establish where the vehicles ended up after the crash.
The Police Officer’s Contact Info
It is important to know the name and contact info for the officer who responded to the crash. They will also be the one to prepare a police report, and you can potentially contact them as a witness later.
Medical Evidence to Collect for a Car Accident Lawsuit in NY
After a crash, you should always seek medical attention. If you need any medical treatment, the EMTs at the scene or the ER doctors at the hospital can help direct you to the care you need. This includes the immediate emergency care you might need as well as instructions about what follow-up care to pursue.
When you get medical care, this leaves doctors and other medical personnel who can testify as to what injuries you faced and how you got them. It also creates medical records and medical bills that can be used as evidence of your injuries and how much your damages cost.
Evidence to Collect with a Lawyer for a New York Car Accident Case
Your attorney can also help you collect certain pieces of evidence after the immediate aftermath of your crash. Working with an experienced Yonkers car accident lawyer is important because they will have the experience and training to understand what evidence you can still collect after the crash scene has been cleared to help build a strong case.
Bills and Statements
Your attorney can help you assemble any bills or financial statements related to your accident. This can include things like vehicle repair bills and pay stubs to help you prove the value of your damages.
Additional Video
Your lawyer can send letters to nearby businesses and homes asking for any potential camera footage of the crash. It is important to contact a Mount Vernon car accident lawyer quickly in case this evidence is set to be overwritten within a few days of the recording.
Depositions
Your lawyer can subpoena witnesses and other parties for depositions about what happened. These are recorded, on-the-record questions and answers that are very similar to what happens when someone comes in to testify in court. Ultimately, most cases will be based heavily on your own testimony (or depositions) and the testimony (or depositions) of other witnesses.
When depositions are taken early on in the process, they are often better because the events are fresh in a witness’ mind. In some cases, you can even use depositions instead of having someone come back in to testify at trial, if your case makes it to trial without settling first.
“Pain Journals”
Your lawyer can help you keep track of your recovery process, including keeping some kind of journal or record of your pain and suffering. This will help later when you have to prove how much your pain and suffering damages are worth.
Call Our New York Car Accident Attorneys Today
For help with a car accident case, call our New Rochelle car accident attorneys at The Martello Law Firm today. Our phone number is (914) 685-6950, and our lawyers offer free case evaluations.
