Many Florida drivers will be involved in a motor vehicle accident at some time, and how they behave in the minutes immediately following a collision can have a great bearing on how their insurance claims are handled. The actions taken at the scene of a crash can also influence the outcome of car accident lawsuits. Experts say that the most important thing motorists can do after a collision is remain calm, but this can be difficult when nerves are frayed and tempers are short.
Cars that have crashed should be left where they are unless they pose a danger to other vehicles, as leaving them in place makes it easier for police officers to determine what happened. If the other drivers involved are angry or intoxicated, it may be wiser to put off swapping insurance details until law enforcement arrives. Motorists should also cooperate with police officers and find out how they can obtain an accident report.
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and this can be is especially true in a courtroom. This is because photographs taken at a crash scene give juries a far better understanding of how events unfolded. Motorists should use their cellphone cameras to capture images of both property damage and the wider accident scene.
Eyewitness testimony can also be very powerful in auto accident lawsuits, and personal injury attorneys may urge their clients to gather the names of any bystanders. When police reports and accident investigations do not provide a complete picture of events, attorneys may conduct additional inquiries. These efforts could include checking the scene for security cameras that may have recorded footage of the accident in question and canvassing the area for additional witnesses.
