Gathering Evidence for Your Tampa,
Florida Car Accident Injury Case
Similar to any other type of
court case, a car accident injury case relies on evidence
that can be presented to a jury—evidence of what caused
the accident, evidence of your injuries, evidence of your
financial losses, and evidence of your past and future
medical care needs.
If you have been injured in a Tampa,
Florida area car accident, gathering evidence can mean
all the difference to the success of your personal injury
case. Likewise, any evidence you are able to gather will
be very important and helpful to your Tampa
car accident attorney.
Of course, there are many circumstances
that can get in the way of obtaining evidence at a car
accident scene. Everyone feels shaken up after a car accident,
and if you are injured to boot, you may not be in any
condition to collect evidence. But it doesn't hurt to
do the best you can. The following are some tips about
how to gather evidence for your car accident injury case:
- If you are trying to gather evidence
in the moments following the accident, do so safely.
Use extreme care to avoid being hurt in traffic.
- Always call the police in the event
of a car accident. The police will file an official
report that can lend credibility to your case. Police
also may witness evidence of your injuries.
- Get the name, address, telephone
number, and insurance information from the at-fault
driver.
- Get the name, addresses, and telephone
numbers of all witnesses, including vehicle passengers.
- Find out if the accident was recorded
on nearby security cameras.
- Take pictures at the accident scene
and vehicle damage. If possible, take pictures of the
vehicles involved before they are moved to the side
of the road. Cell phone cameras are fine for this purpose
if that's all you have.
- If you are hurt, ask a friend or
family member to help you gather evidence.
- Seek medical attention immediately
so that a doctor can document your injuries. Also go
to follow up appointments. This is extremely important,
as your injuries must be documented by medical personnel
if you want to make a claim.
- Take pictures and video of your
injuries and disabilities.
- Keep a journal of your doctor appointments,
missed days at work, pain, symptoms, and limitations.
Letters from your employer also will help.
Just like you should collect evidence
as soon as possible, you also should make it a priority
to hire a car accident attorney as soon as possible. By
getting to work on your case sooner rather than later,
your attorney will have access to fresher evidence and
clearer witness recollections.
To speak to an attorney right away about
your car accident injury case in the Tampa, Florida area,
please contact our Tampa personal injury law firm. You
may either call us or fill out the form on our "Do I Have
a Case?" page for a free initial assessment of your case.
|
