Why Is it Good to Get Photos after an Accident?
Photos are an Important Evidence Type During the Claim Process
If you have been involved in an accident of any type, taking photos of the accident and your injuries may not be the first thing on your mind. But taking photos after an accident is absolutely crucial, and could greatly affect the outcome of your claim. Here are some of the top reasons why it is good to get photos after an accident:
Photos Help to Prove Fault
One of the most pressing reasons to get photos after an accident is because photos help to prove fault. Indeed, a photo can illustrate how an accident happened, or who hit who. Photos can also show things like skid marks (which could be indicative of sudden braking), stop signs (and whether or not one was run illegally), and more.
Photos Establish the Setting and Tell a Story
More than just proving fault, though, photos also help an insurance adjuster to visually understand what happened. Photos establish the setting and conditions (What was the lighting like? Was it raining out? Was there a lot of traffic), and tell the story of your accident. Certainly, photos do not say everything that you may need the insurance adjuster to understand, but as the old adage goes, they speak “1,000 words.”
Photos Let the Insurance Adjuster Know You Were Harmed
In addition to just taking photos of the accident scene and any physical damages to your vehicle or property, you should also take photos of your injuries. When combined with photos of property damage (like the impact and damage to your car), photos can help the insurance adjuster be clear about how you were harmed (i.e. the causal connection between the accident and your injuries) and the extent of your harm. You should take photos throughout the recovery process as well, and make sure that these photos are date-stamped. This will help ensure you recover compensation for both property damage and bodily injury.
Photos are Harder to Dispute than are Stories Alone
Finally, photos are much harder to contradict that is a person’s story. Sure, photos can be altered, and technology definitely makes alterations more possible than ever before. But it is much more difficult to fake a photo than it is to exaggerate a story; insurance adjusters know this, and therefore are more likely to take a photo at face value than your claim that the other driver was at fault (even when you are telling the truth). If you want hard evidence as part of your claim that is difficult to dispute, photos are a must.
Our Accident and Personal Injury Attorneys can Help
We know that taking photos can be far from your mind in the immediate aftermath of a crash. If you have not taken photos, do not worry: We may be able to help.
When you call our law firm, we will get to work on building your case immediately. Our work starts with an investigation, where we will travel to the accident scene and collect any available evidence including taking photos of any debris, skid marks, etc. that remain.
If you have photos, please submit them to us. We know how to use photos and other evidence in a compelling way to get our clients the settlements they deserve.
For your free consultation, call our Manchester injury lawyers today or contact us online.
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