The Importance of Photos After a Car Accident – The Angles You Need

So, What Kind of Pictures Do You Need?

You want to make sure that you get 5 different types of pictures from your car accident:

• The Vehicles: You want to make sure that you get photos of all the damage to both your vehicle and the other drivers vehicle. Along with photos of the vehicles, it would be a good idea to get photographic documentation of the other driver’s license plates and insurance information so that there is no mix up or miscommunication verbally.
• The Scene of the Accident: You want to document as much as possible about the accident. This means everything that happened surrounding your car such as skid marks, crash debris, the position of both cars and broken glass.

  This would also entail photos of the nearby road signs, traffic lights, light poles, guardrails and the traffic flow at the time of the accident.  You will also want to make sure you document any damage caused by the accident to these objects.  These photos can be helpful for the police to determine fault.

• The Area Surrounding the Accident: The surrounding area would consist of where the accident happened whether it be an intersection, parking lot, or another location.This would also entail photos of the surrounding businesses.

  Many businesses have security cameras that record the surrounding area outside of their building, so there is a possibility that their cameras caught the accident.  So by taking photos of the businesses you will be able to remember what businesses are there so that you or your lawyer can contact them to see if they have video footage of the accident.

• The Weather: Documenting pictures of the weather is not a common thought right after a car accident, but it can be very important in your case. Although weather can change from minute to minute you can still get a clear idea of what the weather was like at the time of the accident.

  By having these pictures, you will be able to avoid the other driver falsely claiming that the weather was a factor if it was not true.

• Your Injuries and the Injuries of the People in Your Car: Documenting pictures of your injuries is important for insurance compensation purposes.  You want to make sure that you get all injuries documented at the time of the accident, but also as they begin to heal.

  Some injuries such as bruises can take a few days to appear, so you want to make sure that you document them as soon as they appear.  If you sought medical treatment you also want to make sure that is documented.  Where you on crutches? Did you break a bone and have to get a cast? Did you need stitches? Document everything!