Join our newsletter.

Documenting the Damage After an Auto Accident

Okay, the auto accident is over … now what?

If you’re like most people, you’ll want to get the car repaired as soon as possible. All you can think of is to get a tow truck and get the car to a repair shop.

Unfortunately, by doing only this, you will have denied an investigator the best chance of determining how the collision happened, how fast the cars were going, who was at fault, the direction of travel and liability.

Police don’t always document the scene well. Rarely do they take pictures. That falls on you. As soon as possible, take pictures of the cars while they’re still on the road. Take picture of the roadway, where gouge marks occurred, the length of skid marks, the specific damage to the cars, the insides of the cars, the condition of the occupants, and the location where the cars came to rest.

Film in this digital age is cheap, so take as many pictures from as many different angles as possible. You never know when one of the pictures will reveal something important to an investigator or accident reconstructionist.

It’s too late after the car has been handled by the tow truck operator or repaired at the shop. Investigators are not brought in until days or week later and by then the evidence will be gone. This is a vital process, particularly if you are planning to fight your case in court with the assistance of a Bucks County motor vehicle accident attorney.

Related News & Articles

Taking on a power of attorney role for a loved one—often, this loved one will be an older family member, likely with failing health or mental faculties—is an enormous responsibility. The...

Lately I have been seeing this question a lot. I subscribe to a number of sites that allow the general public to ask legal questions. It seems that a lot of...

Andrea Lenk and Alicia Nicholson probably thought Feb. 6, 2016 would unfold like any other day. But driving through Cumberland County, Pennsylvania that day, they crossed paths in the most horrific...

There’s a reason so many of us fail to write a living will while we’re still alive. Considering our own death can be a terrifying thing. But if you’re reading this...

It’s easy to make legal mistakes while building your business. It happens all the time. You’re a business owner—not a lawyer. You’re focused on finding customers, making sales, training your team,...

For most of us, the experience of being arrested and charged with a crime would easily rank as one of the most frightening and stressful occurrences of our life. Undoubtedly, the...

It’s hard for some people to stay organized, even in the best circumstances. And most of us would agree that getting divorced rarely qualifies as “the best circumstances.” It’s a traumatic,...

With so many Americans losing their jobs or being laid off due to COVID questions about bankruptcy and the need for bankruptcy attorneys may be approaching an all time high. The...

What’s the Difference Between a Prenup & a Postnup? The main difference between the two contacts, of course, is that while a prenup–also known as an antenuptial agreement or premarital agreement–is...

Most personal injury cases have three stages: investigation, negotiation and litigation. Often these stages overlap, and many cases are resolved without the need for litigation at all. Here is a brief...