If you were injured in a car accident and would like to pursue legal action, you will want to take plenty of photos to bolster your claim. Read on and give our skilled Prince George’s County car accident lawyer.
Why should I take photos after a Maryland car accident?
Physical Injuries
In most cases, injuries will gradually heal over time, so you should take pictures right after an accident. Photos of your injuries will allow others to specify your physical condition after the car accident. In some circumstances, your medical practitioner will decide on the use of devices such as an arm sling, cervical collar, walker, etc. Take photos of these devices and, if you are able, keep these devices in a safe place even after they become excessive for your medical treatment. These devices may be used as evidence in your claim.
Accident Scene
Take photos of the road and weather conditions, traffic signals and signs, and general roadway design. Keep an eye out for tire skid marks, broken glass, or other things left on the pavement. Sometimes visibility is a critical factor in a car accident, so look at large objects that may have obstructed drivers’ view of the road. If there’s a potential argument about the color of the traffic light (i.e. red light versus green light), make a video that shows the timing of the lights at the intersection for all paths of the road.
All Cars Involved
You will want to note that pictures should be taken of all of the cars that were involved in the accident, even if there is no harm to one of them. The photos will help interpret the cars involved (license plate, make, model, color). Property damage to the cars should also be captured. If safety allows, take photos before the cars are moved. Take as many photos as you can and make sure you also get shots close-up and from a distance. This is important to choose the location of impact, the force of collision speed of travel, and direction of movement. Take pictures of the front windshield of the other drivers’ cars. Sometimes something is suspended from the rearview mirror that obstructs their view of the road.
Other Important Tips
You should set your digital camera or cellphone so that the date (and, if possible, time) occurs in the image. This will help resolve the problem of having to remember when the picture was taken if asked later on. Further, back up your digital photographs by saving them onto a second hard drive, copying them onto a thumb drive, burning a copy onto a CD or DVD, and/or printing out the photographs. The last thing you want happening is losing these photographs because of faulty technology.
Contact Our Firm
If you suffered an injury or loss because of another person’s negligence, contact McCarthy, Winkelman & Mester, L.L.P. today.
