The whole world comes to a complete stop for victims of accidents. All of a sudden, they find themselves injured and uncertain of what the future holds. It’s worse for the ones who have suffered severe injuries.
As difficult as it sounds, it’s important for victims to maintain composure and fight. They have a long road ahead, and succumbing to pressure only makes things difficult.
Once a victim has received sufficient medical attention, the next step is to reach out to an experienced law firm like The Law Offices of Ivan M. Diamond. These firms have the experience and expertise required to get victims the compensation they deserve.
One vital component that will greatly boost the chances of a successful personal injury claim is evidence.
Victims will find the following evidence pretty useful in their personal injury claim.
- Medical Records
- Photographs and Videos
- Police Reports
- Eyewitness Statements
- Bills
We’ll discuss the role of these pieces of evidence in the section below.
Medical Records
Immediately after an accident, the first step for any victim is to call 911. This will give them access to prompt medical care.
Paying a visit to a hospital is crucial as
- It helps in treating the injuries the victim has suffered
- It helps in diagnosing injuries whose symptoms may not be immediately visible
There’s another important benefit to medical records.
The victim’s medical records are proof that they suffered injuries in the accident. It proves that the accident happened. Medical records also provide information on the extent of the victim’s injuries. This contributes to calculating the future medical costs the victim will sustain.
Photographs and Videos
Photos and videos paint a picture of what happened. Just about every internet guide will tell victims to snap photographs or record videos at the accident scene.
A victim can take pictures of:
- Their injuries
- Their damaged property (if any)
- The environmental conditions
- License plate number of the at-fault party (applicable in motor vehicle accidents)
- The hazard that caused the accident (applicable in premises liability and construction site accidents)
Photographic evidence of elements related to the accident helps prove the seriousness of the accident.
Additionally, expert witnesses hired by the victim’s lawyers will analyze the photographs and videos taken at the accident scene. With this evidence, they can come up with reasons why the accident happened, the seriousness of the injuries, and many other elements.
Police Reports
Accidents must be reported to the police. Once the local police department hears about the accident, they’ll want to conduct their own investigation. They’ll send an officer to the accident scene who’ll conduct an in-depth investigation.
Using all the findings from the investigation, the officer will draft a police report. This report contains important information like:
- Details about the accident
- Details about all the parties involved
- Witness statements
- The officer’s opinions on the accidents
Insurance companies consider police reports to be strong evidence as they are drafted by the local police department.
Eyewitness Statements
Unless the accident happened in some dingy alleyway, chances are someone witnessed the accident. In such situations, it would be a massive help if the person who saw the accident would provide a statement. This can either be in court or with a lawyer who’s handling the case or claim.
Eyewitness statements carry weight in personal injury proceedings. A third party’s recollection of the events that happened is a strong indicator that the victim’s allegations are true.
Bills
Like medical records, the bills a victim receives have a role to play in personal injury cases. After their initial visit to the hospital, the victim accumulates bills. Lots of them. It is important to preserve these bills, as they have the benefits mentioned below.
- The Expenses Incurred: Hospital bills, money spent on medication, therapy, and assistive services, and future medical expenses are used to calculate compensation
- The Seriousness of Injuries: The higher the bills, the more serious the injuries
- Money Spent on Repairing/Replacing Damaged Property: These bills help prepare an estimate of the amount spent on fixing or replacing damaged property
Final Thoughts
The five pieces of evidence listed in this article will contribute to a successful personal injury case. But one factor that greatly increases a victim’s chances is a lawyer.
With a lawyer, evaluating damages, compiling evidence, and negotiating with the insurance company become easy. The first course of action after an accident is to hire a lawyer.