- Collect the contact information of anyone involved in the accident, as well as license plates or other identifying information on the vehicle (such as business name and number if it is a commercial vehicle).
- Collect the contact information of any witnesses who saw what happened.
- Talk to the police and give your version of events—without admitting fault on your part—so that your version can make it into the police report.
- Take photos of all vehicles involved before they are towed or driven away, including all points of impact, damage caused by the accident, preexisting damage, and more.
- Take photos of the road and scene around the vehicles, including any tire marks, dangerous hazards in the road, or any other conditions that may be related to the collision.
- Take photos of the debris scattered on the road. Sometimes, information regarding the way items and parts fall off a car can assist accident reconstruction experts in their analysis.
- Look around and note whether there are any video cameras or other surveillance equipment around that may have recorded the accident. In many cases, a video can provide concrete evidence of what exactly occurred.
- Make note of anything else that you believe may be relevant to the accident.
Evidence Gathering at the Scene of an Accident
The key to proving negligence in your personal injury claim arising from an auto accident is evidence.[1] Quality and effective evidence can help you receive the full amount of compensation you deserve for your losses. Evidence can be gathered as soon as a collision occurs and the following are only some types of evidence and some ways to gather evidence from the scene of a serious car accident.
What evidence can you gather yourself?
If you are in good enough physical condition to remain at the scene of the accident, there are many steps you can take to gather evidence that may be extremely helpful in a subsequent legal case. The following are some examples of steps you can take at the scene: