Important Evidence for Proving Fault in Auto Accidents

At some time after a car accident in Nevada, the question of how you’re going to pay your bills is going to crop up. While there are certainly quite a few ways to go about it, from settlements to lawsuits, one factor remains consistent across all methods. You’re going to need evidence, and quite a bit of it. Everything needs to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, including your accident, your damages, your injuries, and the fact that someone else was at least partially to blame. When you start gathering evidence, there are a few key details you need to keep an eye out for.

Police Incident Reports 

There’s a host of evidence you’ll want to gather immediately at the scene of the accident, yet most of it boils down to what you’ll find in a police incident report. In the weeks following a crash, you can request a police crash report which will contain, among other things:

• The names and contact information of all involved parties, alongside other clerical info such as the date and time of the collision—without basic info like this, it’ll be much harder to prove that you were in a Nevada car accident at all.
• A record of external factors, such as weather, roadway conditions, lighting, construction zones, and anything else outside of either car that could have contributed to the crash.
• The conditions of all vehicle occupants (mental states and physical injuries included) as well as the vehicles themselves. It’s particularly important to take photos of vehicular damages to prove their location and severity.
• Information on whether or not anyone was arrested or given a citation by the responding officer.
• Formal statements and contact information from all witnesses in the area, in case they need to be called on for future court dates and investigations. Note that, while valuable, eyewitness testimonies can be flawed.
• The officer’s account of how the accident likely transpired, known as an “accident narrative.” This isn’t a formal determination of fault, but it does represent an impartial third party opinion of who may be liable.

Follow-Up Evidence and Records

The evidence-gathering process doesn’t end when you go home. In the days and weeks following a collision, you’ll need to keep working to secure your case with additional evidence. A Las Vegas auto accident attorney can help you keep track of everything you’ll need, but to begin with, you’ll want to:

• Visit a doctor, even if you feel like you’re uninjured (or only very lightly hurt). This will not only rule out the possibility of subtle, delayed-onset injuries but will provide vital medical records, which serve as evidence for your wounds and suffering.
• Talk to your lawyer about how to prove distracted driving (if you’re suspicious of impairments), such as by subpoenaing the other driver’s cell phone records or accessing security cameras. 

A Nevada Auto Accident Attorney Can Help

Evidence is only a portion of a strong auto accident case; you’ll also want a legal professional who can tie it all together and create a strong argument for your compensation, ensuring you’re not cheated out of a fair claim by dishonest insurance adjusters. Aaron Law Group’s talented Nevada car accident lawyers can guide you through every step of the process, so give us a call at (702) 550-1111 to schedule a free consultation today.