Is There A Need For Witnesses After A Motor Vehicle Accident?

If you or a loved one has been in an accident, the whole incident can be extremely traumatic. From being in a shock to getting injured, instances and circumstances vary. However, there are several steps to follow immediately, if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident.

The first thing you should do is get medical attention for passengers or yourself, if it seems there is quite a bit of damage to your vehicle, over a thousand dollars’ worth or the car is in no condition to be driven, you should call the police.The next thing you should do is begin to gather all the physical evidence as possible. This step is going to be a huge help to your personal injury lawyer. Once it is safe to do so, walk around the vehicle and take as many pictures of the damage you can. You will also want to take pictures of the other vehicles involved in your accident. Your pictures should include wide angle shots of the area, signs nearby and photograph any skid marks that happened due to the accident.

Gather evidence

You will now want to gather and exchange any information with any drivers that were involved. You should take down their insurance information, license plate numbers, their name, address and their driver’s license number.After gathering that information look for impartial/neutral witnesses to the accident. Passengers of your vehicle will not be recognized as they are considered to be biased. Their interest is invested in the litigation outcome. Credibility is the key to a neutral witness if they have knowledge of the relevant circumstances concerning your collision.It could be beneficial to your case to speak with other drivers because they were there at the accident. This could be true, but they may not have an accurate recall of the accident due to their own safety concerns.

Credibility of witnesses

When seeking witnesses do not overlook pedestrians. People on the sidelines of an accident usually pay more attention than you may think and had a bigger view of the accident. There is no exact area but 20 to 50 meters away probably gave them ample room and safety to be an onlooker.A distracted witness, one walking a dog or caring for a child could be considered less credible but you will still want to get their information. Make a note of their age and mental state and ask them to remain until police arrive. If they must leave try to get at least their name and a phone number. Witnesses at the scene of an accident will help your personal injury lawyer in Sudbury build a stronger case for your defense.