The more evidence you have to support your personal injury claim, the better your odds of recovering damages for your accident. There are many documents that are needed in the course of your claim, including those used as proof of the accident, proof of fault, and proof of loss.
Evidence of the Accident
These documents will help your attorney demonstrate what happened at the scene of the accident and determine who may be at fault.
Reports From Law Enforcement
Police and fire department records provide a strong starting point for building your case. While they may not necessarily be conclusive, they do provide a great deal of key evidence from the accident.
Incident Reports
If your accident occurred on a business’s premises, an employee or manager will likely have made an incident report. These reports provide a description of your accident and may direct you toward further proof.
Witness Statements
You’ll want statements and contact information from anyone who saw what happened. Their statements can help bolster your case.
Victim Statements
Your own records are also important. As soon as possible after your accident, take some time to write down what you remember about what occurred. The longer you wait, the hazier the details may become.
Photographic Evidence
Pictures and recordings from your smartphone can provide insight that may not be immediately obvious otherwise. As such, snapping some photos of the site can be a tremendous benefit to your case.
Proof of Fault
The above pieces of evidence not only provide details about the accident, but they can also provide insight into who might be at fault. In addition, the following documents can also help determine liability.
Prior Cases Or Complaints
It may be possible that your accident is not the first of its kind. For instance, if your accident resulted from a product malfunction, you may be able to use prior cases or complaints to see if there may be a design defect, thereby directing you toward potential liable parties.
Expert Witness Statements
Statements from expert witnesses—such as doctors, scientists, engineers, etc.—can provide further insight into who may have been at fault for your accident.
Proof of Loss
In order to be successful, your case has to be viable. Viability comes in part from the case being worth pursuing. As such, you’ll need to prove the damages.
Medical Records
Medical records show the severity of your injury as well as the costs of recovery. They are integral to any personal injury case.
Bills and Receipts
Medical bills are only one of the expenses you’ll incur. Damage to property, the cost of rental transportation, and so forth are expenses that should be accounted for when determining the value of your case.
W2s and Pay Stubs
Recovering from an injury often means the losing time from work, and those losses need to be taken into account. W2s and pay stubs can be used to calculate lost income.
Insurance Information
Finally, insurance policy information, correspondence, and so forth are all vital to your personal injury case.
Working with a Personal Injury Attorney
Your attorney will work with you to obtain many of these documents, while others will be on you to provide. All can be valuable when constructing your case and securing damages. If you’ve been injured in an accident, contact Hart David Carson LLP today.