In a tort state like Texas, car accident photos can make the difference between winning and losing your case. What does that mean?
Insurance adjusters, the courts, or arbitrators will attempt to determine which party is at fault. In the vast majority of these cases, each party will blame the other. In other words, liability is disputed.
If you sustained injuries in an accident, talk to a car accident attorney at Brylak Law. We can help you with your car accident claim.
What Can Car Accident Photos Prove?
- What caused the accident
- The road conditions at the time of the accident
- Damage to the vehicle
- Injuries to yourself and your passengers
- Witnesses to the accident
- Traffic signs that may be relevant
The way people remember events is often unreliable. Where memory fails, car accident photos can succeed.
How to Take Car Accident Photos
It’s not exactly a simple process to remember everything after you’ve just been in a car accident. The shock alone can take awhile to wear off. For those with serious injuries, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to record the scene of the accident. Nonetheless, car accident photos will help you defend your position should your traffic accident case go to litigation.
What should you be focusing on?
Property Damage
This includes damage to both the inside and the outside of your car, damages to buildings, mailboxes, street signs, and anything of value that may have been inside the car.
Injuries
This includes injuries to yourself and your passengers. The full extent of your injuries may not be apparent until the day after your accident. You’ll also want to seek medical attention from a doctor and be aware of medical reports as they pertain to your case.
Traffic Signs
You’ll want to take pictures of traffic signs that can shed light on how the accident occurred or what traffic laws may have been violated.
People
Generally speaking, police officers will show up at the scene of the accident and collect information from witnesses including both of the parties involved in the accident. Nonetheless, it can be helpful to have this information in case it’s undocumented in the police report. An attorney may want to call these folks as a witness on your behalf.
The Scene
In addition to the aforementioned, you want to take photos of the surrounding scene. This includes the other party’s car. You’ll want to take pictures of other cars in the area, including their license plates, in the event that these individuals need to be called as witnesses. Debris from the crash will also be helpful for the purpose of reconstructing the physics of the accident.
Make Sure the Date and Time on Your Phone Are Accurate
Finally, if you’re using your phone to take pictures then you want to make sure that the time and date on your phone are accurate. That information is held in the metadata and if it’s recording the wrong date, then the information may not be admissible.
What If I’m Injured Too Badly to Take Pictures?
One thing to be aware of is that the mere fact that you were able to take pictures of the scene can be used against you in a personal injury suit. The defense will argue that your injuries couldn’t have been that bad if you were able to document the scene of the crash to the extent that you were.
As it happens, those who suffer serious bodily injuries in car accidents aren’t often capable of documenting the scene. If you have friends or family with you, you can ask them to take pictures. If that’s not an option, you will have to rely on police and eyewitness reports. But when available, car accident photos can make a huge difference for your case.
Were You in a Car Accident? Contact Brylak Law Today
The injury attorneys at Brylak Law have effectively used car accident photos to prove clients were not at fault. Give us a call at 210-405-7118 and we’ll ensure you’re not taken advantage of by a driver who refuses to admit they’re in the wrong.
