Evidence in Car Accident Cases

The aftermath of a vehicle accident can be chaotic and confusing, particularly when it comes to dealing with insurance carriers. The key to winning a successful insurance claim after sustaining injuries or property damage as a result of another driver’s negligence is evidence. Here, we want to review the main types of evidence that will help determine liability in the aftermath of a vehicle accident in Denver and throughout Colorado.

Evidence to Gather Right After a Crash Happens

In many cases, individuals are able to gather evidence directly at the scene of the accident. However, we have to encourage you to be incredibly careful when doing so. If the car accident scene is not safe or if you have sustained severe injuries, the number one priority is medical treatment and your well-being.

If you are able to gather evidence at the scene, you can begin by using whatever type of camera you have on you, which often means your cell phone. Take pictures of everything that you see at varying angles and distances. This includes:

• Vehicle damage
• Injuries
• Any debris you see
• Skid marks
• Traffic signs and traffic patterns
• Weather conditions

Look around to see if there were any eyewitnesses to the incident. This can include drivers and passengers in other vehicles as well as individuals standing near the scene. Get their names and contact information written down as soon as possible. These individuals may be able to give valuable testimony to insurance carriers or during a personal injury trial.

Make sure that the police come to the scene to conduct an investigation and ask the police officer about the process of obtaining the police report after the fact.

Additional Evidence That Could be Important

The evidence-gathering process does not stop right after the accident scene is cleaned up. There may be additional types of evidence that can be gathered in the days and weeks that follow that will help determine liability. Often, an attorney will be in charge of gathering this evidence:

• Surveillance footage from cameras on nearby homes or businesses
• Complete statements from any eyewitnesses at the scene
• Police citations
• Mobile device data
• Vehicle black box data
• Inspection and maintenance records for a vehicle

In many cases, the evidence clearly points to which party or parties were at fault for a crash. However, that is not always the case. There are times when it may be necessary to work with accident reconstruction experts. These individuals can use their mathematical and scientific knowledge to put together 3D renderings by using existing evidence and examining the actual scene.

Working With a Lawyer to Recover Compensation

Evidence is how liability is determined, and determining liability is how individuals recover compensation when another driver causes the crash. We strongly encourage you to work with a skilled car accident lawyer in Colorado who has experience handling these claims. An attorney will be responsible for gathering the evidence needed to prove liability, and they will handle all negotiations on your behalf with the other parties involved. You should be able to recover compensation for medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, pain and suffering damages, last wages, property damage expenses, and more.