Most people know that after they’re involved in a car accident, there is a host of information they should document. Of course, the first priority is getting medical attention and assuring that everyone else is okay. Once that is done, there are many pieces of evidence that could be crucial to any car accident lawsuit that follows the accident.
Read on to get a better idea of what information you should gather, then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free case evaluation. We can help with the investigation, so feel free to call us even if you haven’t gathered this information.
Start with collecting information about the other party
First and foremost, you want to get information from the people at the scene. Start with the other party (or parties) involved and get the information you’ll need for your insurance claim. This includes:
- Names
- Phone numbers
- Addresses
- Email addresses
- Driver’s license number
- License plate number
- Date of birth
You’ll also need to get the name, phone number, and address of their insurance provider. Make sure you write down the year, make, and model of their car. If possible, get the VIN as well. If there were passengers in their vehicle, or if there was the accident involved a pedestrian, get pertinent information from them as well. Get names, numbers, and addresses of any witnesses as well.
Collect information about the scene of the accident
If you are uninjured (or relatively uninjured) then it’s best to collect as much information as possible immediately after the accident. Document everything you can. This may include:
- Taking photos or videos of the damage done to vehicles and other property.
- The condition of the road.
- Write down how the other drivers, pedestrians, passengers, etc. were behaving. Be especially sure to note any admission of fault.
- Get written statements from witnesses right after the accident.
- Not any traffic cameras that may have caught the accident.
- Write down a basic diagram of the accident.
- Look for any evidence that supports your claim. For example, if there are skid marks on the road, street signs nearby, etc.
- Make a note of the quality of light (for example, if it was sunny or foggy) and note the weather at the time of the accident.
Even if you can’t gather information at the scene, write down as much as you can as soon as you can. Remember that even though the accident seems crystal clear in your memory now, over time the details can begin to slip. Write down as much as you can.
Call us right away to help with the investigation
When you hire Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas as your personal injury attorney, part of our job is to investigate your case. This may require working with expert witnesses, investigators, and other professionals. If you’re ready to find out what your options may be then we recommend you call us today at 909-982-0707 for a free consultation.
