Critical Documents to Have After a Car Accident

After you have been involved in an auto accident caused by another person’s negligence, it’s important to collect as much information and evidence as you can to prepare yourself for a personal injury claim. But if you have never gone through this legal process before, you might not be aware of which documents you need to provide your attorney to strengthen your case.

With this in mind, here’s some information from a car accident lawyer in Miami, FL about the kinds of documents you need to collect for your auto accident case:

• Your insurance policy:
  This should be the most obvious document—a copy of your insurance policy will tell your lawyer exactly how you are covered and the kind of recovery to which you may be entitled. If you do not have a physical copy available, your attorney can easily obtain one from your insurance company with your approval.
• Information from the accident site:
  Odds are you exchanged names, telephone numbers and insurance information with the other person or people involved in the accident while still at the scene. You should provide all of this information in full to your attorney, even if you have already contacted the other parties yourself. In addition, if you took down information from any witnesses, be sure to provide this information (especially contact information) to your attorney, as their testimony could be crucial to your case.
• Police reports:
  When police are called to the scene of an accident, they are required to draft and file an accident report, which includes information about how the accident occurred and diagrams of where cars or pedestrians were when the accident happened. In some cases, the report will include the on-site officer’s own personal impressions of the accident, including who was at fault. While this fault judgment will not be usable in your case, the information the officer collects that led him or her to make that judgment will be highly useful.
• Photographs:
  If you took photographs of the damage and the surrounding area at the accident site, make sure to provide copies of those photos to your attorney. You should also collect any photos taken by insurance companies.
• Medical records:
  If you sustained injuries for which you sought medical treatment, be sure to get copies of all the appropriate medical records and any payments you made and provide them to your attorney. Your attorney can also access these records for you so long as you provide your written permission to do so.
• Financial records:
  If you lost wages as a result of missing work due to your accident or if you made any payments on repairs or medical expenses, be sure to provide receipts and other financial records to your attorney for their review.
• Statements:
  If you made statements to a representative of an auto insurance company, provide copies of any written statements you gave them. It’s also a good idea to record yourself if you make any oral statements and give a copy of that recording to your attorney.

For more information about the documents you’ll need for your car accident case, contact a personal injury attorney in Miami, FL.

Categorised in: Car Accidents