Preserving Evidence After a Car Accident

Auto accident victims and witnesses must do everything they can to preserve evidence. Once everyone is ready to sue, this evidence will be crucial.


After a car accident, you must make sure you, your passengers, and other drivers are safe. Once you’re safe, how can you preserve the accident’s evidence in case of a legal dispute? Evidence preservation is crucial to a successful car accident claim.

If you’re not sure how to preserve evidence to give your claim the best chance of success, reach out to the lawyers at Dyson Law, PLLC. Your attorney can help you get the answers you need when you’re hurt and suffering. 

Preserving Accident Evidence

Car accidents require evidence preservation. It’s best to wait for an investigator to gather evidence, but document what you can. Gathering evidence at the scene involves documenting the following: 

  • Skid marks 
  • Vehicle locations
  • License plates
  • Witness statements
  • Dashcam footage 
  • Accident-related conversations 

To report the incident accurately, gather as much evidence as possible.

Documentary Proof

Auto accident cases require police reports, witness accounts, and medical records. Police reports will inform both parties and provide impartial evidence for court proceedings. Questionnaires from witnesses can support statements. If the accident caused injuries, medical records are needed to prove damages for settlement.

Documentary evidence is crucial to the outcome of a case, so parties must remember its value. All sources—citizens, police, doctors, and nurses—should provide records. To keep facts current and consistent, periodic reviews are needed.

After an accident, documentary evidence protects your rights in court. Concise records and reliable information can help you win your case for future needs. After a car accident, photos and video can help you reconstruct the events that led to your claim.

Photos and Videos

Visual documentary evidence like photos and videos show the car accident in real-time. Witnesses can quickly take and share photos from smartphones after an accident. Photos taken by an impartial third party are more persuasive than those taken by a biased bystander with an agenda. 

In court, surveillance cameras and dashcam footage will be given more weight because they are more reliable, and impartial, and provide an accurate timeline of events leading up to and after the crash.

Photographic and video graphics evidence can help with claims, but they have limitations. These records can be altered or misinterpreted if not properly viewed.

Witness Statements

Witness testimony helps preserve car accident data. Witnesses can testify in court and help you prove your innocence or get fair compensation for accident damages. The best witness testimony, preferably from a credible source, is crucial. If the accident involved multiple cars, there may be witnesses, but even if you were alone, try to find witnesses who may have seen something that could help your case.

Witness testimony is generally reliable, but perception and memory recall can affect individual testimonies. A witness’s account may differ from physical evidence like photos or videos. Thus, it may be worthwhile to find another witness who may recall different details or shed more light on the accident.

How to Ensure Legal Compliance

Witnesses can help ensure legal compliance after a car accident, according to consensus. However, car accidents require knowledge of local and state laws, which may vary. Some states require motorists to report an accident to the police if either vehicle or property is damaged more than a certain amount.

Most states require reporting accidents involving injuries, regardless of severity. However, some motorists don’t report small claims for fear of losing their insurance privileges for filing a claim that doesn’t meet certain criteria. However, withholding accident information from authorities may result in criminal charges.

To fulfill their legal obligations after a car accident, drivers and witnesses must understand local regulations. All parties can avoid civil lawsuits and criminal fines by following state laws and protocols for accident reporting. Before taking any action after a car accident, contact your local police.

Auto accident victims and witnesses must do everything they can to preserve evidence. Once everyone is ready to sue, this evidence will be crucial. With that in mind, we now examine when to call law enforcement after an auto accident.

Seek Help Preserving Car Accident Evidence

When you’re hurt in an accident, gathering the evidence you need to recover is rarely easy. Fortunately, you don’t have to make decisions about your case, including gathering evidence, without help. 

The lawyers at Dyson Law, PLLC are here to help you recover from your serious injuries and get the compensation you’re due. If you’re not sure you have the right compensation for your claim, reach out for a free consultation by calling 561-498-9979 or by filling out the following online form to learn more. 

Peter A. Dyson, Esq

MANAGING PARTNER OF DYSON LAW PLLC

Peter Dyson is the managing partner of Dyson Law PLLC. Peter runs the day-to-day operations of the firm as well as actively litigates on behalf of clients...READ MORE

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