No one is ever truly prepared to be in a car accident. These types of accidents leave you with both physical and emotional injuries. Sometimes you’re left trying to pick up the pieces and deal with financial stress. In New York, it’s important to gather the right evidence to help you build a strong case. That way you can work towards getting the compensation you deserve. You don’t want to assume you’ve collected enough evidence and miss out on getting more money. It’s important to know what to document and save after your car accident so a legal professional can help you with your case.
Police Reports:
The most important piece of evidence to acquire after a car accident is the police report. New York law states that you must report any accident to the police. Especially if there are injuries or deaths involved, you must call the police right away. If you don’t, you risk facing a fine of up to $1,000 and deal with having that on your record. It’s in your best interest to reach out to law enforcement as they will be able to find the means to help you in your situation. The police report contains the time of the accident and other statements from witnesses. These details are important in creating a strong claim.
Photographic Evidence:
If you are in the right head space, start taking pictures and videos immediately. That way you have concrete proof of your accident and the damage that was done to you. Make sure these photos are clear and the scenes from the accident are visible. If there are obvious signs or markers in the area, make sure to snap those. Whatever looks out of the ordinary, make sure to take loads of pictures. This helps a legal professional establish liability when you show them.
Witness Statements:
Witnesses can especially help back your claim up. These people aren’t associated with your daily life and aren’t invested in the accident. If witnessed the entire accident, make sure to write their information down. Their statements can help you if the other party tries to claim that the accident was your fault. If enough people can back your claim up, then a car accident lawyer can help you move forward and receive compensation.
Medical Records:
After a car accident, you need to seek medical attention immediately. Even if you feel that your injuries aren’t bad, it’s always best to get a second opinion. From there, your doctor will write out a medical report, detailing the severity of your injuries and what treatments you’ll need. This helps to calculate how much money you’ll need back to cover these extra costs. It’s important to keep track of these reports as you’ll need them for your case.
Expert Opinions:
There are times when you’ll need another opinion on your accident claim. When you hire a lawyer, they have access to experts in specific fields who can look at your accident and see who is liable. You can use reconstruction specialists who can look at the accident from their perspective. Medical professionals can vouch for your injuries. These opinions are necessary if you want your claim to work in your favor. They’ll be able to point out what went wrong or how much you suffered because of the car accident, which gives you a strong claim.
Communication Records:
You need to keep track of any type of communication relating to your accident. If you had to email work about what happened, keep those in a safe folder. If you were texting friends and family about what happened, make sure you’re able to access those. Especially any messages that you had with your insurance company. These show your efforts in trying to get the situation resolved and not trying to hide it. Which can be used to show who is liable for the accident.
Income and Employment Records:
Depending on how severe your injuries were, you might have to take time off work. That means you were losing money that you would have if the accident didn’t happen. You can use this as a means for building your case to get this money back. Make sure to document your pay stubs to see how much you’re losing during your recovery. It’s your right to get the money lost back especially if you weren’t responsible for the accident.
Vehicle Repair Estimates:
If your vehicle was damaged in any way, then that counts as evidence. Typically, these repairments can cost you a good amount of money that you’ll need back. Make sure to keep track of receipts from the auto shops so you’re able to get an accurate calculation. This counts as property damage and you have a right to receive compensation for the costs. This can also help you pay off what your insurance was not able to cover.
After a car accident, it’s important to gather the right amount of evidence to build a strong claim. Keep track of any kind of reports that talk about the accident and the type of injuries you sustained. Witness statements are great to back up your claim so don’t forget to reach out to these people. With all this documentation, you’re able to prove liability and receive compensation for your car accident. If you’re not sure if you have the right information or feel that you’re missing something, reach out to a trusted legal team. They’ll find you the lawyer who can review your case and make sure everything is in order. You have rights and you must fight for your claim and get the justice you deserve.
