The hours and days following a car crash are important for protecting your legal rights and preserving the strength of your injury claim. Evidence can fade quickly; skid marks wash away, vehicles may undergo repairs, and witnesses forget crucial details. To give yourself the best chance of recovering full compensation, it’s essential to preserve evidence after a St. Charles car crash.
Why Preserving Evidence Matters
In Illinois, the burden is on the injured victim to prove that another driver’s negligence caused the crash. Insurance companies frequently challenge accident claims. Strong evidence is the only way to establish a successful claim.
Evidence can help you:
- Establish how the crash happened
- Demonstrate the other driver’s fault
- Show the true extent of your injuries
- Prevent insurers from shifting blame
- Maximize the value of your compensation
With strong evidence, it becomes much harder for an insurance company to dispute your claim or argue that your injuries were due to something other than the crash.
Steps to Preserve Evidence at the Scene
You may not be able to gather every piece of evidence on your own, especially if you are seriously injured. However, taking even a few of the following steps can make a significant difference:
Photograph Everything
Use your phone to capture the crash scene from multiple angles. Take pictures of the vehicles, skid marks, debris, road signs, weather conditions, and injuries. These photos help accident reconstruction experts understand exactly what happened.
Record Witness Information
Bystanders often see details you may miss. Get their names and contact information before they leave the scene.
Request a Police Report
Call 911 to ensure a police officer responds to the scene. The official crash report is a key piece of evidence that documents fault, observations, and potential traffic violations.
Preserve Physical Evidence
Items like broken vehicle parts, damaged clothing, or shattered personal belongings can help prove your claim.
Medical Evidence Is Critical To Your Claim
Your medical records play a critical role in proving the extent of your injuries. Be sure to:
- Seek immediate medical treatment even if you feel fine. Some injuries, such as concussions and internal bleeding, show delayed symptoms.
- Follow all treatment plans from your doctor. Gaps in care allow insurers to claim your injuries aren’t serious.
- Keep copies of bills, diagnoses, scans, and prescriptions to document your financial and medical losses.
Detailed medical documentation helps connect your injuries directly to the crash, eliminating doubts about what caused your pain.
Preserving Evidence After the Crash
Some evidence becomes available only in the days or weeks after the crash. A St. Charles car accident lawyer can help preserve:
- Surveillance or traffic camera footage
- Electronic data recorder (“Black Box”) data
- Cell phone records
- Vehicle Inspections
In essence, you should preserve all evidence that could help your car crash claim. It is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your rights and increase your odds of having a successful personal injury case.
An experienced St. Charles car accident attorney can help you gather and preserve all relevant evidence of your injuries, your losses, and who is liable for your car accident. Call Feagans Law Group today for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help you prove your car accident claim with strong evidence.