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How To Take Accident Scene Photos After Your California Car Crash People’s memories are often unreliable due to stress, physical trauma, or psychological injuries. Accident scene photos can provide a clear picture of the injuries and property damage, as well as the accident scene itself. It’s always best to obtain car accident scene evidence immediately after an accident occurs. As time goes by and people arrive on the scene, evidence slowly disappears. Why, because the wind can blow away evidence, negligent drivers can hide evidence, and the environment changes. Rain can wash away skid marks and cover-up tire tracks on grass; broken traffic signs and lights may be removed or repaired, etc. Personal injury claim decisions will rest on individual testimony if adequate accident scene photos are unavailable. Remember the adage, “A Picture is worth 1,000 words.” The following are guidelines for taking accident scene photos.
Take Photos As Soon As Possible Depending upon traffic and vehicle positions, cars be moved. Once moved, it will be more difficult for your Los Angeles car crash attorney to piece together the accident. If you cannot take pictures, or videos of the accident scene, delegate a passenger or witness to do it for you.
What Car Accident Photos Should You Take? When taking photos, think about the people who will be looking at them. Will they tell how the accident happened, what car damage occurred, and who is responsible? Please take the following types of photos so your lawyer can use them to help win your car accident case.
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Close-up and Far Away – Take pictures close enough to see all of the damage and far enough away to see all of the vehicles involved. You might also have to take photos at a distance inbetween the close-up and distance shots. The best pictures are from approximately three-feet, tenfeet, and thirty feet away. If the accident scene is large, also take photos at a further distance. Use your own best judgment and take as many pictures as possible.
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Vehicle and Property Damage – Take photos of the inside and outside damage to the cars, including bumpers, windshield, window glass, side panels, deployed airbags, etc. Also, take pictures of other property damage, such as signs, trees, fences, guardrails, and poles. Look for different colored paint on each vehicle, see if car parts are lying on the road, and take pictures of them.
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Personal Injuries – Take close-ups and short-distance photos of personal injuries. Close-ups show the extent of injuries, while short-distance images provide size context.
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Different Angles – You want to take photos from different angles. Take close-ups from two different angles, and take pictures from a distance, at different angles. The next angle shots are often the most helpful: Left-front and side, right front and side, left-rear and side, and right-rear and side.
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The Surrounding Area – You want to take photos of the surrounding area, including trees, signs, traffic signals, roads, accident debris, weather conditions, etc. Document everything that could have caused the accident or was a result of the accident. What may seem unimportant now could turn out to be very important later. It’s better to have too many pictures than not enough.
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With and Without A Flash – If you are taking accident photos during the day, a camera flash is generally unimportant. But when the sun has fallen, a camera flash can make a picture clear or distorted. Glare from a camera flash can ruin an image. If you have time, take photos with and without using a flash.
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Personal Documents and Property – Police officers make mistakes and record incorrect data. Don’t take chances by relying on a police officer’s information. Take photos of the other person’s driver’s license, vehicle registration, and license plate numbers. While you are doing that, ask accident witnesses for their contact information.
Time and Date Stamps – Make it easy on yourself and your car accident attorney Los Angeles California by setting the time and date stamp on your camera. Cell phones may automatically select
the time and date stamp, but many hand-held cameras do not. The time and date stamp will show when someone took the photos. •
Landscape or Portrait View – If you want to take great pictures, you must use the proper view. If the scene is wide, use landscape view to take pictures. If the background is tall, use the portrait view to take pictures.
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Witnesses and Passengers – Make sure that someone takes photos of passengers and witnesses. Passenger and witness photos will help your lawyer avoid confusion in identifying people involved in the car accident.
Safety Is Most Important First and foremost, your safety is crucial. If walking around, taking pictures is not safe, don’t do it. Instead, ask someone else to do it for you. If you are injured, seek medical attention at the accident scene and follow-up with a doctor.
How Your Car Crash Lawyer Los Angeles Will Utilize The Photos? Your Los Angeles car crash attorney will use the photos to build a substantial car accident personal injury case to help get the compensation you deserve. Your attorney can utilize the images and accident scene investigation data to recreate the accident scene by building illustrations and 3-D models. If you would like to discuss your accident with an experienced and successful law firm, contact M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers, a Los Angeles car accident law firm. We are available 24/7. Call: (323) 746-4921