What Evidence Do I Need in a Car Accident Claim?

If you or somebody you care about has been injured or sustained property damage in a car accident caused by another driver in Arizona, you should be entitled to various types of compensation. However, securing this compensation revolves around having the evidence to prove the value of your losses as well as the liability of the other driver(s) involved. Most cars and victims are unaware of what type of evidence needs to be preserved or obtained in the aftermath of a vehicle accident case. Here, we want to discuss the type of evidence that our Scottsdale car accident lawyers strive to obtain for every case that we take for clients.

The evidence needed to prove a car accident claim in Arizona

While no two car accident cases are exactly alike, most of them revolve around obtaining the following evidence:

1. Police reports. Under Arizona law, just about every vehicle accident needs to be reported to law enforcement officials. You should always ensure the police come to a car accident scene so that they can conduct a preliminary investigation that includes details about when the accident happened, where it happened, and who the officer thinks was at fault.
2. Eyewitness statements. Police will generally gather the names of any eyewitnesses to the accident. This can include other drivers and passengers as well as bystanders nearby. At the accident scene, those involved in the incident can also gather the names and contact information of people who saw the incident occur. Witness testimony can help an insurance claim or could be used in a jury trial.
3. Photographs of the accident scene. If you are able to safely do so at an accident scene, you should take photos using a smartphone or another device. This includes photographs of damages, injuries, debris, causes of the crash, traffic patterns, weather conditions, and more.
4. Surveillance footage. More and more, we are finding that businesses and homes have various types of surveillance cameras, including doorbell cameras. Any video footage of the car accident could be incredibly beneficial to proving liability.
5. Medical reports. It is crucial that Arizona car accident victims seek medical care immediately after the incident occurs. Often, the signs and symptoms of car accident injuries do not appear until hours or even days after the crash occurs. Medical reports from hospitals and doctor visits provide vital information about your injuries, how long it will take to recover, and whether or not there are any permanent impairments.
6. Bills, pay stubs, receipts. Car accident injury victims need to keep track of any lost income, out-of-pocket expenses, and property damage costs. Any bills, pay stubs, or receipts after a car accident will be used to prove the total value of the claim.

Working with an Arizona car accident lawyer

Most car accident injury victims do not have the resources or legal expertise necessary to obtain all evidence they need to prove their case. However, an experienced car accident lawyer in Arizona can use their resources to fully investigate the incident, obtain all evidence, and prove the case to insurance carriers or a jury. You do not have to try to gather all of this evidence on your own. An attorney can help you do this while you focus on recovering and spending time with your family.

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