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Taking Effective Car Accident Scene Photos
ALBUQUERQUE TRIAL BLOG
At Raymon Law Group, we know how to listen. And after hearing everything you have to say, we’ll come up with the best strategy to win your case.
Taking Effective Car Accident Scene Photos
After an auto accident, whether serious or even just a fender-bender, the photos you take after the collision matter. The images taken of the scene are often a critical factor in the amount of compensation you can recover from an at-fault driver. Any vehicle accident is a shocking experience, and it may be difficult to consider the legal aspects of what just occurred. After you have evaluated yourself and your passengers for injuries, taking pictures is one of the most effective ways to ensure you recover all the compensation you deserve. Almost everyone has a cell phone, and using the phone’s camera is a simple, and very effective way to document what occurred.
Take the Right Pictures of the Scene.
If you are able to take images of the accident, you need to ensure you take enough, and of the right areas, the more the better. Take multiple pictures (as many as you can) from close-up, and at a distance, of the following:
- The overall scene
- Vehicle damage on both vehicles
- License plates of the vehicles involved
- Traffic signs and other images of the surroundings
- Skid marks
- Any vehicle parts, shattered glass, and debris on the roadway
- Any visible injuries you or a passenger sustained
- The insurance card of the other driver’s involved
- Weather and visibility
- Vehicle interior and exterior
- Any damage to stationary objects in the location
- Any alcohol containers
- Blood
- Gas spills
- Road conditions
- Eyewitnesses and others who were nearby, and their license plates
Your Photos re Critical Evidence in a Claim or Lawsuit
Car accident claims and lawsuits are not always successful, and can be challenged by an insurance company, even when you are sure the other driver’s driving conduct caused the accident. The insurance company may claim that you were partially at fault, reducing the amount of compensation you can recover.
With multiple photos of the scene, the vehicles, and all the damage to the vehicles and other data, you reduce the risk of having your own insurance rates increased, and paying out of pocket for the damage to your vehicle, and the cost of treating your injuries, not to mention the impact an accident can have on your emotional state.
Composing Accident Photos – Tips
When taking photos, ensure you capture the entire scene from a distance, and move closer for images from various angles – the more the better. The photos taken of scrapes on both vehicles, along with skid marks on the road can reveal how the collision occurred, and can make a big difference in how a claim plays out.
Taking Photos in the Dark
If the accident occurred in the nighttime hours, ensure you use the flash feature on your phone when you take pictures. Take a steady series of pictures with the flash so that you have the best chance of capturing enough information to successfully support your claim. You may want to return to the scene in the daytime hours to document any skids on the roadway that could be difficult to capture at night.
Contact a New Mexico Car Accident Lawyer at Once.
You will be contacted by the insurance company of the other driver, who will try to engage you in conversation about what occurred, and with various tactics, attempt to get you to admit fault. When your case is managed by a car accident lawyer, every detail related to speaking to insurance company personnel is managed correctly, with the goal of ensuring you are treated fairly.
In Cases of Serious Injury
After an accident that led to a more serious injury, it will not be possible to take pictures. In these cases, it is imperative that you retain legal counsel to gather and preserve all relevant evidence as early as possible after the collision.
Contact Raymon Law Group at (505) 390-1040 before making a statement to the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
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