Following a car accident, you may face significant expenses between your medical bills, lost wages, car damages, etc. This is why it is important to take the proper precautions beforehand and take photos while still at the scene of the accident. Follow along to understand why taking photos after a car accident will benefit your personal injury claim and how a proficient Broward County car accident lawyer of The Finizio Law Group can help you through this process.
What are the necessary photos to take after a car accident?
A top priority of yours should be to take photos of every single car involved in the accident, regardless of whether there are any visible damages. Try to do this before moving your cars to the side of the road, if safe to do so. Besides the damages, the photos should capture the following:
- All the cars’ license plate numbers.
- All the cars’ makes, models, and colors.
- All the cars’ windshields (in case there was something on the rearview mirror obstructing a driver’s view).
Next on your list, you should take photos of the scene of the accident itself. This should be a combination of close-ups and distant shots that portray the series of events that led to your accident occurring, such as the following:
- The location of the accident and its surroundings.
- The force of the cars colliding.
- The direction the cars were moving.
- Any noticeable skid marks.
- Any severe weather conditions (i.e., snow or rain).
- Any hazardous road conditions (i.e., potholes or construction).
- Any obstructions to traffic signs (i.e., trees).
- Any defects to traffic signals (i.e., faulty red or green lights).
Then, you should take photos of the physical injuries that you received from the accident. You should do this before they heal so that you can truly capture the severity of them. Also, you should take photos of any medical devices your doctor prescribed to you, such as the following:
- An arm sling or cast.
- A cervical collar.
- A cane or crutches.
What other steps should I take if I am involved in a car accident?
First, it helps if you adjust the setting on your digital camera or smartphone so that a timestamp appears on the photo itself. Plus, it helps if you back up these photos by doing any of the following:
- Saving the photos on a second hard drive.
- Copying the photos on a thumb drive.
- Burning a copy of the photos onto a CD or DVD.
- Printing out a copy of the photos.
Once your photos are taken care of, you should take the following steps immediately afterward:
- Call 911 so that a police report can be recorded.
- Exchange contact information with the other drivers and witnesses.
- Seek medical treatment at the scene and at the hospital.
- Hire a talented Broward County auto accident lawyer before Florida’s statute of limitations, which is generally four years.
Contact Our Experienced Broward County Firm
If you require legal representation for matters of personal injury, family law, criminal defense, commercial litigation, or aviation litigation, contact The Finizio Law Group today.
