Senior Partner
Most people know they need to take photos after an accident. That’s any kind of accident if you’re awake and alert enough to make it happen. Photo evidence is just as important to a slip-and-fall as it is to a car accident case. It can be very helpful in any personal injury case.
Of course, it’s important to make your photography as effective as possible.
#1) Your smartphone is fine.
You don’t need a professional-grade camera to take pictures that will serve as excellent evidence in your personal injury case. Your regular smartphone camera will do.
#2) Take as many photos as your storage will allow.
It’s sometimes better to take what will feel like an almost indiscriminate number of photos so that you can sort through them later. You never know what you’ll capture. What seems meaningless to you might be extremely meaningful to an accident reconstructionist.
#3) Snap angles at different distances and angles.
In a car accident you want to snap every exterior angle of both cars as well as the interior of both cars. You also want to capture skid marks from both directions, while stepping off the length of them. Snap photos of traffic lights or signs as well.
In a slip-and-fall you’ll want to take photos of the accident site, your shoes, and local conditions. If a broken item or object caused your fall then you’re going to want to snap a photo of that, as well.
#4) Avoid taking photos of injured people or fatalities.
You can take photos of your own injuries, but you need to avoid taking injuries of any other injured parties. Doing so can be a privacy violation.
#5) Photograph Documentation
Don’t try to jot down the other party’s insurance policy. Get a photo of it. Get photos of drivers licenses and license plates, too. It’s the best way to ensure accuracy when it’s time to file the claim.
In a slip and fall, you should take a photo of the incident form if you fill one out.
What if you are too injured to take photos?
If it’s possible to sue for your Long Island injury case at all you may well find it impossible to take photos at the scene. This is quite common. Some of our clients are unconscious from the moment of impact and have to be rushed to the ER. They certainly don’t get an opportunity to take pictures.
Calling an attorney almost immediately after your accident can be very helpful here. The faster you do so, the faster we can get an accident reconstructionist to the scene, contact witnesses, or gather physical evidence. In some cases, we might be able to gather photos taken by witnesses.
Don’t worry about whether you’re bothering us. We’re happy to evaluate cases and tell you whether or not it makes sense to proceed.
Contact us for a free consultation today.
See also:
How No-Fault Laws Impact Your Long Island Car Accident Case
What Happens in a Long Island Personal Injury Case if the At-Fault Driver Dies?
3 Items to Document After an Auto Accident
