Being in an accident can be traumatic and stressful and could change the whole trajectory of your life. For that reason, we encourage drivers to prepare for accidents as best they can. That’s why we also can’t stress enough the importance of gathering evidence after the crash so you can make a strong claim if you or someone you love is injured in a car accident. Want to find out why? Keep reading.
How to collect evidence after an accident
Accidents happen in the blink of an eye. One second, you’re leaning down to change the temperature of your AC, and the next, you’re in a collision. Generally, when people are in an accident, they get so caught up in the commotion that they forget to collect evidence regarding the accident. Unfortunately, this can put you in a tough position when claiming from insurance. If you’re able to, here’s the process of how you should collect evidence after an accident:
Safety first
Before anything, check that everyone involved in the accident is safe, including yourself. When you’re involved in an accident, you could be pumped with adrenaline and not notice any issues with your body. So, be sure to do a thorough self-check first. Then, check everyone else involved.
Contact the authorities
Next, you need to contact the authorities to ensure you’ve done the right thing on your end. In Australia, it’s compulsory to contact the police if you’ve been involved in an accident, especially if there have been injuries or if the damaged property costs more than $3000. Ensure that you get a copy of the accident report from the police, too, especially if you were injured in the accident and the accident wasn’t your fault.
Get details from other parties involved
Again, if you’re able to, get details from all other parties involved in the accident; this includes their names, addresses, contact information, insurance details, and vehicle registration numbers. Go above and beyond, too, and write down the make, model, and colour of the vehicles involved in the accident. The more detailed your records are, the better.
Take photos or videos
Assuming your phone made it out of the accident in one piece, take as many photos and videos of the accident as you can. Be sure to capture the surroundings too. For instance, if the accident occurred in the middle of an intersection, try to get footage that accurately shows the position of the vehicle in context of the traffic lights, road signs or anything else that might show you weren’t at fault.
Get a witness statement
Having a witness statement will also be extremely helpful. Look around for bystanders who would likely have seen the accident play out and ask them if they’d be willing to write up a statement for you and sign it. Using your phone to record their statement could also work. It’s helpful to ask a witness about the events as soon as possible so they can relay the story to you while it’s still fresh in their minds.
Tools that’ll come in handy when you claim from insurance
Over and above collecting evidence directly after the accident happens, there are also a few other things you can do to better your chances of getting your coinsurance claim approved, such as:
Capturing the footage on a dashcam
In the last decade, dashcam technology has improved substantially. Brands like Garmin have released dash cams that can be remotely accessed, that have impact sensors and record automatically when your car is hit. They also come with front and rear cameras, ensuring that you’ll have footage of an accident on either side of your car. Having a dashcam is an insurance precaution that basically offers you accurate evidence in the event of an accident. Like paying for insurance every month, you might never claim, but having it is a lifesaver when you need to.
Help lawyers and insurers understand the accident better
People are often visual learners. So, having a visual illustration or reference of where the accident happened would help your lawyers and the insurance company better understand the information surrounding the accident. There are a few ways you can do this. For one, having videos and photos is a good start. You could also approach any shops around the area with cameras pointing to where the accident happened. Finally, using Google Maps, you could create a diagram of where the accident occurred so they have a visual reference.
Final thoughts
Gathering evidence when you’ve been in a car accident is to ensure you have everything you need when making a motor vehicle accident claim. In many cases, accidents can fast become a legal dispute, especially if the details of the accident are blurry. For that reason, consider preparing well for accidents beforehand, like buying a dashboard camera with a review camera, too. With this, you’ll always have evidence regarding an accident, whether the fault is yours or not.
