Auto accidents are serious incidents that can have long-lasting repercussions. However, with the help of an experienced lawyer, you can easily navigate your injury claim and receive all the damages you are entitled to for your physical injuries and other harm. Auto lawyers in Houston, Texas are prepared to help you every step of the way, starting with examing the evidence of your case.
What Evidence Should You Share With Your Auto Lawyers?
There are many different pieces of evidence you may want to bring to the attention of your auto lawyer when you are filing a car accident claim, particularly if you want compensation for your damages. Every nugget of evidence you can gather will be used to build a strong case so you can get the compensation you deserve from insurance companies or the other driver involved in the accident.
So, what evidence should be used to strengthen your case? In general, it’s a good idea to share everything you have about the accident with your legal representative. Even if you don’t think a piece of evidence is relevant, lawyers who examine your evidence with legal training may be able to pinpoint evidence that will help your case. The most common evidence that should be shared with your lawyer includes:
Photographs
Photographs are usually the most immediately demonstrative pieces of evidence you can have. Photographs of the accident scene, the damage to your vehicle, damage to personal property, and photographic evidence of your injuries before and after treatment can all be used to build your case.
After an accident, it’s always a good idea to take as many pictures as possible so you can have evidence of the accident before vehicles are moved. Photographic evidence can give experts a better idea of how accidents may have happened, which may help the insurance company or the court determine which driver was most liable. Both physical and digital photographs are good to bring to your consultation with auto lawyers.
Video Evidence
Video evidence can refer to many things, but the most common videos associated with a car accident are dash-cam footage and CCTV video from traffic lights. Video evidence is just as powerful as photographic evidence, particularly because videos are a real-time account of precisely how accidents happened. Videos can prove definitively if any rules of the road were violated, such as running red lights or speeding.
Video evidence can also capture the moments after an accident, such as how injured drivers and bystanders were by the accident. This may be especially important if you were the victim of a hit-and-run accident, as videos can capture license plate numbers and vehicle details.
Medical Records
Your medical records are sometimes the most powerful pieces of evidence you can provide to support your case. Medical records that are relevant to your car accident begin from the moment you are seen by first responders or emergency room physicians; your medical records can also include any treatments or surgeries you had for your injuries, as well as ongoing treatments, prescriptions, and physical therapy you required throughout your recovery process.
Some drivers make the mistake of not having immediate medical records after an accident. For example, some drivers are in minor accidents and do not seek medical attention for several days. This can be detrimental to your case since it will be more difficult to prove your injuries are related to a car accident. For the sake of your health and your case, it’s always a good idea to seek medical attention after an accident, even if you do not have serious injuries.
Witnesses
The evidence you should show your lawyer can also include witness testimony or even police records related to the accident. Witnesses, including passengers of the vehicle, can lend credibility to your account of how the accident occurred. You may also include doctors who treated your injuries as witnesses, as well as other people (such as employers) who can attest to how much your injuries impacted your daily living.
Other Evidence Your Lawyer May Want
In addition to these main forms of evidence, your lawyer may want to strengthen your case with additional evidence. For example, your lawyer may enlist the expert testimony of a forensic car accident specialist who can analyze the accident to help determine which driver was most at fault; this can be extremely important since Texas is a comparative negligence state.
Your lawyer may also want evidence for any pain and suffering you may have had as a result of the accident, or other economic impacts, such as losing your job or losing earning potential because of temporary or permanent disability. It may also be necessary for your lawyer to employ an independent medical examiner to assess your injuries and physical condition to give more weight to your medical records if your case graduates to court.
How Houston, Texas Legal Experts Can Help You
Aside from looking at all of your gathered evidence, experienced auto lawyers can also help you with your case in many ways. Filing a car accident claim is a stressful process, particularly when your claim has been denied by an insurance company or you are dealing with serious injuries. Some of the most important ways an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you are by negotiating for you, representing your interests, and fighting for all of your damages.
Negotiate a Settlement
Many times, insurance companies will contact you with a settlement offer after you file a claim. However, you should not immediately accept this offer. Instead, you should take the settlement offer and all of your evidence to an accident lawyer so they can determine whether or not the settlement is adequate for your injuries and damages.
If a lawyer determines that an insurance company is low-balling your offer, they will start negotiations on your behalf so you can receive all of the compensation you are entitled to. Much of the time, when a lawyer is negotiating on your behalf, insurance companies are more likely to offer fair settlements.
Represent You in Court
Sometimes, insurance companies are unwilling to offer better settlements during negotiations. When this happens, your lawyer may file your case in court so your case can be taken to trial. During the trial, all of the evidence for your case will be analyzed so the court can determine which driver was most at fault and how much compensation you are owed for your injuries and other damages.
Fight for All Damages
Your physical injuries are only the tip of the iceberg for the damages you are entitled to after an accident. For example, your compensation should also pay for personal property damage, such as replacing or repairing your vehicle. Experienced lawyers will also be able to fight for pain and suffering, as well as other non-economic impacts related to your accident.
Proper evidence can make or break a car accident case. Whether or not your car accident claim has graduated to court, it’s important to give your lawyer every piece of evidence you can collect. This can include eyewitness testimony, medical records, and photographic or video evidence of the accident. For more information about how auto lawyers can help with your case, please contact Houston Injury Lawyers in Houston, Texas today.
