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3 Tips For Procuring And Preserving Evidence In A Personal Injury Suit

9 May 2016 by Franklin Vasquez

One of the facets of proving that your personal injury claim is sound is procuring and preserving evidence in the trial. The evidence is that which will suggest and ultimately prove that the defendant should be held liable for at least a percentage of your damages. Throughout the course of this brief guide, you will learn about just a few tips for procuring and preserving evidence for a personal injury suit.

Document Injuries

If you are seeking liability when it comes to medical damages, it is imperative that you have documentation of all of the injuries that you incurred. Make sure that you visit a trusted physician's office or hospital so that they can make documentation of said injuries. It may also prove to be helpful to photograph any cuts, swellings, bruises, and otherwise visible marks on your body. Casts, bandages, splints, and other devices that were applied due to the injury should also be documented. Make sure that these are documented as soon as possible after the accident, as visible injuries can heal over time, and the trial will most likely not take place until an ample amount of time has passed after the injury took place.

Return To The Scene

Although this may not be possible in all cases, return to the scene of the injury site as soon as possible. You may be able to locate evidence and take photographs that relate to injury and can be held admissible as evidence. This is especially good advice if the accident in question was traffic related. For example, you may be able to find that a traffic light was not, in fact, working, which can bespeak to the fact that the city may very well may be held liable for damages. If there are any remnants of the accident that can be photographed, it is recommended that you take a few photos at several different angles.

Locate Witnesses

Find witnesses as soon as you possibly can, since their immediate reaction to the injury that occurred can prove to be quite valuable to you as you are making your statement to the insurance company. They may have also seen the accident from a much more objective angle and can tell you exactly why another party may have been at fault. Even if a witness did not see the accident or injury itself, they may have seen you quite soon afterwards, and could confirm that you were either in pain or otherwise greatly distressed.

For more information about the kinds of evidence needed for your case, contact a local personal injury attorney.

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