Why You Should Take Photos After a Car Accident
Being involved in a car accident is a shocking experience. Many crash victims forget the importance of collecting evidence at the scene precisely because they are disoriented and overwhelmed. However, taking good photos of the accident’s aftermath is one of the most important things you can do to protect your legal rights and improve your chances of securing compensation.
Why Car Accident Photos Are Important
Taking photos after a car accident is essential because photos can:
- Capture images of the conditions, including traffic congestion, inclement weather, poor visibility, and other relevant factors
- Show the specifics of any vehicle damage that occurred as a result of the wreck, which could indicate how the collision occurred and who was at fault
- Reveal the final position of each vehicle or road user involved in the collision, which can help experts create accident reconstruction models
- Show other critical details from the crash site, such as skid marks or debris
- Provide vivid imagery of visible personal injuries
How to Take Car Accident Photos
Now that the vast majority of Americans are armed with camera-enabled cellphones, it’s easier than ever to provide accurate, in-the-moment documentation of car accidents.
When you take photos after a car accident, pay attention to the quality of the images you capture. Keep an eye on factors like lighting levels, focus, and perspective. Try to make sure that your photos are well-lit, clear, and taken from angles that do not obscure important details. When in doubt, try multiple shots of each photo. There is no such thing as too much photographic evidence.
What You Should Photograph at a Car Accident Scene
As you prepare to take photos at the scene of a car crash, remember to capture as many of the following as possible:
- Damage to your vehicle and any other vehicles in the wreck
- Other visible property damage to things like buildings, roads, or traffic signs
- Skid marks, broken glass, and other debris left on the road due to the accident
- Visible injuries that you or other individuals sustained as a result of the crash
- Surrounding road conditions, including weather, traffic, and signs
- The make, model, license plate, and other identifying features of the other cars
- The other motorist’s driver’s license, registration, and insurance cards
Why the Times, Dates, and Locations of Photos Are Important
If you use a smartphone or digital camera to take photos of the accident, your photos should automatically be time- and date-stamped. The time, date, and location of your photos are important because they can prove that certain images were taken immediately after the wreck. That can be a great way to establish that your injuries were indeed caused by the accident in question and that you deserve to be compensated for them accordingly.
Contact Our Experienced Greensboro Car Accident Lawyers Today
If you have been injured in a car accident in Greensboro or elsewhere in North Carolina, the trusted injury lawyers of Ward Black Law want to help you navigate the road to recovery. Contact our firm today to learn more about your legal rights in a free initial consultation.