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2 Mistakes To Avoid When Taking Photos At The Scene Of Your Auto Accident

10 August 2020 by Franklin Vasquez

In the minutes after an auto accident, it can be difficult to think about what to do next, especially if the damage was caused by another driver's negligence. As part of documenting the scene, you may decide to take out your phone and start taking pictures. However, make sure that you do not make the following mistakes when taking photos at the scene of your auto accident.

1.  Taking Pictures Only of Your Vehicle

When your vehicle is severely damaged during an accident, it may seem natural that you should focus your photo-taking efforts on it to show just what the other driver's car did to it. However, taking pictures of only your vehicle gives a very narrow view of what actually happened.

While taking the pictures, you should also take several of the other driver's vehicle. You do not know if they will try to say that the accident was your fault. And as much as you may want to trust others, they could doctor up the vehicle to make it appear as though theirs was damaged in a different or worse way. Along with the vehicles involved in the accident, you should also take pictures of the road, any intersections nearby, and the surrounding environment. If you see any skid marks, snap a picture of them as well to show the directions of the cars before and/or after the collision.

2.  Neglecting to Take Enough Pictures

Another mistake you should avoid when taking pictures of the accident scene is neglecting to take enough photos. You may believe that one picture of each vehicle's impact points and the surrounding environment is enough to show what happened. However, you want to take as many pictures in as many angles as possible to give a more dimensional view of what happened. It is possible that the tiniest detail could help you win your case against the other driver and their insurance. Even if you do not see anything significant, an attorney may be able to pick out something in a picture that was not present in another one taken at a different angle.  

Avoiding the above mistakes while taking pictures after an accident can allow you to give a good visual of the overall scene. During your consultation with an auto accident attorney, make sure that you give them all of the pictures along with any other evidence you have collected so that they can assess your case and formulate a plan of action. Reach out to an auto accident attorney for more information.

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