If you’re involved in a car accident in Mississippi, one of the most important things you can do is to take pictures of the vehicles involved, the crash scene, and any injuries you’ve suffered right away. These photos can serve as vital pieces of evidence if you need to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver.
Mississippi law allows car accident victims to pursue compensation from the parties responsible for causing the crash. This means that you will have to prove the other driver’s actions caused your accident to recover the full and fair amount of compensation that you need to pay your medical bills, repair your vehicle, recoup lost wages, account for your pain and suffering, and move on with your life.
In some instances, the other party will accept responsibility for the crash, but this is, unfortunately, not always the case. In many cases, they will deny fault or even try to shift all of the blame onto you. When this happens, you’ll need proof of what happened. Some of the strongest evidence that can support your story can come in the form of photos or videos of the crash scene.
If you’ve been injured in a crash, the Mississippi car accident attorneys at Derek L. Hall, PC, can help use photos and other available evidence to build a strong claim on your behalf. Our law firm offers personalized attention for all of our clients, 24/7 access to case updates online, and the benefits of more than 25 years in practice.
For your free initial consultation, call us now or visit our contact page.
Pictures Are an Important Type of Evidence
Proving that the other driver was responsible for the crash is crucial to recover the fair compensation you need and deserve. There are many types of evidence that can be used to support a car accident claim, but pictures are especially important.
While police reports, medical records, and other documents are important pieces of evidence for your injury claim, photos can show what happened in a more powerful, visceral manner. Our experience with injury claims has shown us that it’s different to read about an accident than it is to see photos of the crash’s impact first-hand.
Important details about the traffic collision may fade from your memory over time. Taking pictures of the accident can help keep those details fresh as you proceed through the car accident injury claim process.
What Should I Take Pictures Of After a Car Accident?
The more pictures you take after an auto accident, the better, especially because most modern cellphones can easily store hundreds of pictures.
There are several important things you should make sure to get pictures of, including:
- The damage to your car
- The damage to any other vehicles involved in the accident
- The position of the vehicles after the collision
- Skid marks, debris, and other evidence of the wreck
- Any injuries you sustained in the crash
- Any passengers who were in your vehicle at the time of the crash, as well as their injuries (if applicable)
- Any traffic lights or posted traffic signs near the site of the crash
- Any businesses in the surrounding area (they may have surveillance cameras that can help support your claim)
- Any witnesses who might have seen the crash (get their contact information as well)
- Any adverse weather conditions
- Any road hazards that might have contributed to the crash
Take more pictures than you think you need, and make sure the time and date settings are correct if you’re using a camera other than the one on your phone.
Should I Take Photos of the Other Drivers’ Information?
Two of the most important bits of information to collect after a car accident are the contact information and insurance information of any other drivers who might have been involved. While you could write all of this information down, you might not have a pen or pencil handy after a crash, or you may not have anything to write on.
To avoid this potential issue, use your phone to get the information you need. Take pictures of the other party’s insurance card, driver’s license, vehicle registration, and license plate. This way, you have a clear and easily sharable record of all the information you need.
What If I Am Unable to Take Photos After My Car Accident?
In the case of severe car accidents, you might need emergency medical treatment and may be unable to take pictures of the car accident yourself. If this situation arises, try to get someone else on the scene to take pictures for you. You can also try to get eyewitnesses to take pictures and send them to you as soon as possible after the crash.
While it’s best to take photos of the scene of a car crash as soon as possible, sometimes circumstances make it so that can’t happen immediately. If this is the case, return to the scene as soon as you can to take pictures of nearby traffic signs, any skid marks left after the crash, and whatever else you can document.
A Jackson Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You
Pursuing the compensation that you need after a serious car accident can be challenging. One way to make it easier on yourself is to hire the dedicated legal team at Derek L. Hall, PC, to assemble and analyze the necessary evidence to prove your claim.
While we’re investigating your claim, we’ll also be talking to the other drivers involved in the accident and their insurers. We’ll make sure that the insurance companies get the documentation they need to approve your claim, along with handling all of the other legal legwork required to get you the money you need to pay your bills and put this accident behind you.
Our team has a proven track record of getting our clients what they deserve, as you can see from some of our recent case results. Get your free case review today by calling us or visiting our contact page.
