3 Steps For Gathering Evidence For A Personal Injury Lawsuit
Nobody likes to be injured. It can be a humiliating, painful, and even traumatic experience that will leave the person who is injured feeling shocked. What's even more frustrating is when a personal injury occurs that is not the fault of the person who has been injured. If you are involved in a personal injury case and you believe it's not your fault, the first thing that you should do, before you even call a lawyer, is collect evidence that you were not at fault. When you go to court, you will be well prepared to prove that it was not your negligence that led to the injury and that you should be compensated for the pain and suffering you have endured, as well as for medical bills.
1. Take Photos
If you have been injured but do not need to immediately be taken to a hospital, stay at the scene and take pictures. If you were involved in a slip-and-fall accident, take a picture of the ground where you fell, making sure to capture the water on the ground and the lack of a "Caution: wet floor" sign. If you are in a traffic accident, take pictures of the damage that has been done to your car and the other car(s) in the accident. With any personal injury, make sure that you capture the area in which the accident occurred, whatever damage was done, and specifically what caused the accident. Print these pictures out and write down the time and date on the back.
2. Gather Statements
Before you leave the scene of the accident, it is also important that you gather testimony about what happened. Use your cell phone to record what people have to say about who caused the accident and what happened. You can also use a pen and paper to have people write down what happened. Make sure you get the contact information of these witnesses.
3. Request Access to Security Camera Footage
Finally, if you know that there were security cameras monitoring the area where the incident occurred, request a copy of the footage at the specific time of the accident. These videos will provide valuable insight in the situation from a higher vantage point, perhaps allowing some details to be clarified.
Once you have gathered all of this evidence, you are now ready to contact a personal injury attorney. This evidence will strengthen your case and ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve. Contact a law firm such as Arrington Schelin & Munsey PC for more tips.
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