After a motor vehicle accident, drivers may quickly find themselves entangled in the red tape of an insurance claim. Receiving a quick and fair payout from an insurer is often critical to covering the medical bills, vehicle repairs and other expenses related to the accident. When it is one driver’s word against the other, having pictures of the scene can be an enormous help when dealing with insurance companies. Taking pictures of the scene from several angles is always a smart step following an accident.
Arguably, one of the most convenient technological advances of this era is having a camera right on one’s mobile device. This allows a driver to take pictures and even videos, store them in the device and share them with insurance investigators and police. However, there are other steps a driver can take to build strong photographic evidence:
- Taking pictures or videos of the vehicles immediately after the collision before the drivers move their vehicles from the travel lanes
- Noticing whether the street or intersection has a traffic cam
- Obtaining video of the crash from nearby private security cameras
- Obtaining the names and contact information of bystanders and witnesses who may have taken their own pictures
Ideally, these bystanders will agree to be helpful in whatever way the injured party needs. This is another reason why it is wise to make contact with anyone in the crowd who may have witnessed the collision. Whether one is dealing with insurance companies or taking an accident case to court, having eyewitness testimony to support the photographic evidence can be quite compelling.