Collecting Crash Scene and Injury Evidence After a Car Wreck in Dallas, Texas

Collecting Crash Scene and Injury Evidence After a Car Wreck in Dallas, Texas

As a Dallas car accident attorney, I know that the more evidence you have to support your personal injury claim the better. The more proof you have to prove that it was in fact the other driver who was at fault, the easier it is going to be to successfully resolve your Dallas personal injury claim for the full compensation you are owed.

If you have been involved in a car wreck in Dallas, Texas, the first thing you should do after making sure that everyone is OK is call the police to get an officer to come out and do a crash scene report. Of course, this is assuming that your injuries are not so severe that you have to be taken to hospital immediately. Generally, if someone left the wreck site by ambulance, a police accident report will be done as a matter of course. The official name for this report is the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report (Form CR-3). It may be substituted by the Driver's Crash Report (Form CR-2) in collisions where no-one is seriously injured and where the property damage appears to be less than $1,000.

You should also collect as much evidence as possible at the accident scene yourself. Obviously, you want to collect the other driver's name, contact details and insurance information. If you have a cellphone capable of taking high definition photos, you should take as many photos as you can of any tire marks on the road, any broken glass or other debris, any damage done to your car and any other vehicles, the layout of the roadway where the accident occurred, etc. Be sure to take a good mixture of close up photographs and some far away shots which show all vehicles together and which also gives a good impression of the weather conditions when the wreck occurred.

It is also important that you thoroughly document your injuries throughout the recovery process. As insurance adjusters have a tendency to drag out the claims process as long as possible in an effort to discourage you, there is every chance that your wounds will have fully healed before you recover your full settlement. Keeping a visual record by the way of photographs can be very powerful evidence when used in tandem with your doctor's records. Be sure to take regular photos of bruises, scars and other injuries. If you have to spend time in a wheelchair, on crutches or in a neck brace, make sure that you get a family member to take photos of you in that condition. Should you be unable to resolve your case without going to trial, photos of your injuries and the misery they caused you can speak volumes to the jury members assigned to your case, in a way that cold, hard medical data cannot.

Equally vital, is that you keep a folder with paperwork such as medical bills and doctor's notes excusing you from work. Also keep a record of any events or things you've missed out on as a result of your injuries. If you weren't able to attend your cousin's wedding or experience back ache while mowing the lawn, document it. It doesn't matter how inconsequential you might think it is.

For further questions, feel free to call the Dallas car wreck lawyers at Guajardo & Marks, LLP, at 972.774.9800.