If you have been involved in an accident, it can be very overwhelming. Your emotions are high, you may be in shock or even injured. These things can frazzle you making it difficult to think what the best next step is to protect yourself legally after this accident.
We are often asked, “Should I Take Pictures After a Car Accident?” The answer is, absolutely yes. However, it is very important that you do not share these photos online, with other people involved in the accident, or with an insurance company until after speaking with your attorney.
Contact the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers for a free car accident case evaluation. Our team will work with you to recover the most compensation possible for your car accident case.
How Photographs Help
In many situations, the evidence of a car accident is quickly removed. Many states require drivers to pull their vehicles off of the roadways if it is safe to do so in order to prevent further accidents. Tow trucks haul damaged vehicles away and road crews sweep away the debris. Taking pictures of the accident scene helps individuals to preserve the evidence.
Additionally, many motor vehicle accident cases result in a he-said, she-said battle. Photographs help to provide an objective perspective of the accident. These photographs can be submitted to each respective insurance company or even used as evidence in a personal injury lawsuit. Accident victims may rely on these pictures to help them describe the location of the accident and the road conditions on the day of the accident. Taking pictures of the following can help preserve important evidence:
Damage to the Vehicles
Take pictures of the damage that your own vehicle sustained. Take close-up pictures to get better detail. Also, take pictures of the other vehicles involved in the accident and the damage to them.
Evidence around the Accident Site
Take pictures of any skid marks on the road as these can indicate when a person applied the brakes, as well as the approximate speed he or she was traveling. Take photos that are close up and far away. Place a small item beside the tread marks so that scale is easier to estimate in the future.
Take pictures of any vehicle parts, shattered glass or other debris that came from the vehicles involved in the accident. If there were any obstructions on the roadway that may have contributed to the accident, take pictures of these items, such as tree branches, tire tread or other debris. In some cases, government agencies or private companies may be partly to blame for the accident if they failed to maintain the roadways in a reasonably safe manner.
Accident Site
Take pictures of the geographic location of the accident. If the vehicles were moved, take a picture of their approximate location before the move. Take pictures from far away to show if the area was an intersection, a stopping point, a lane to merge in or other type of roadway.
Take pictures of any road signs that were near the accident site, such as signs to stop, slow down, merge or reduce speed. Also, take pictures from different angles to get different vantage points. Remember, the jury does not usually go to the scene of an accident, so pictures can help give them a better idea of the actual location of the accident. Try varying distances for location pictures, including approximately 5 feet, 10 feet and 20 or more feet from the accident site.
If possible, keep a common landmark in the photographs to help determine the scale and distance between items featured in your pictures. If you are unable to take the pictures right after the accident, return to the accident scene when it is safe to do so. Be sure that your photographs tell a story about how the accident progressed and do not leave out any important details. These photographs may also help refresh your memory at trial.
Injuries
Take pictures of any visible injuries immediately after the accident. If you are injured, take pictures of how the injury progressed after time. This type of picture can be particularly useful in front of a jury, who may only see a recovered plaintiff on the witness stand.
Should I Take Pictures After a Car Accident? Absolutely.
Spanish Speaking Car Accident Lawyer in Houston, Texas
Spanish-speaking individuals can have a more difficult time seeking justice in their personal injury cases due to language barriers. This causes them to not take action against those who have left them with financial devastation and physical trauma. At the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers, our team refuses to let a language barrier affect your right to justice and compensation. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident and is in need of Spanish-speaking legal advice, our team is here for you.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Houston, Texas
If you or someone you love has been involved in a car accident and suffered an injury, experienced loss of income, or are unable to work due to a car accident, you can benefit from the services of a Houston car accident expert in your personal injury case. Whether you missed work due to an injury or due to not having access to a vehicle, Attorney Beverly R. Caruthers can help you!
Beverly R Caruthers Law Office
Address: 4141 Southwest Fwy, Suite 620
Houston, TX 77027
(713) 526-9557
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