What Should I Take Pictures of After an Accident?

You probably know that in order to recover compensation for losses in a car accident, slip and fall incident, truck accident, or any type of accident, you need evidence to demonstrate that someone’s negligence caused your injuries and property damage. Thanks to advances in technology, most of us now carry phones with us that are capable of taking and preserving photos and videos that can serve as valuable evidence.

But you may not know how to use your phone camera to your best advantage. What should you take pictures of? With extensive experience helping accident victims recover maximum compensation for their losses, the team at Michael M. Day Law Firm, LLC knows what pictures are most helpful. So, here’s what to snap photos of after an accident and some tips to help make the most of the evidence you collect.

“How” is Just as Important as “What”

Before considering what to photograph, it is important to consider the approach you use to take your photos. Clarity is essential. So, unless you are being rushed, take the time to ensure that your shots are in focus before recording the image. Take at least two shots of everything in case your hand was shaking or the auto-focus feature on your phone hadn’t reacted properly to the image. 

In addition, shoot images from up close, mid-range, and far away to put the subject of the photo in perspective. Look at everything from different angles. Think about how many camera angles the referees in New York look at during the review of a challenged play in football. From one angle, it’s hard to tell what happened, but another angle may show it clearly.

Try to make sure that the timestamp recording is on so that your photos will have an embedded date and time. Unless the scene is in bright daylight, take different versions of shots with and without flash. The images may reveal very different things.

Take more photos than you think you need. Having too many is never going to be a problem.

Taking Photos Right After the Accident

Emergency crews need to clear the road after a collision, and cleaning crews will set to work right after a fall, so it is important to take as many photos as possible immediately after the accident. If you are too injured to handle the task, give your phone to someone else on the scene and tell them what to take pictures of.

Photograph the Vehicles Involved

After a motor vehicle accident, take pictures of your vehicle and all other vehicles involved in the wreck. Pay particular attention to any damage because this can help accident reconstruction experts determine what happened during the collision.

Remember to capture images up close and from a distance and to take photos from several different angles. Try to get the license plates of others involved photographed as quickly as possible in case a driver decides to flee the scene.

Take Pictures of the Road or Floor

Most of us never pay much attention to the road or floor, but the surface has a story to tell to engineers who reconstruct accidents. Skid marks and other changes in the color of pavement may have little obvious meaning, but they can reveal when someone applied the brakes and other valuable information. So take photos of the road, both up close and from a more distant perspective.

After a slip and fall, take photos showing the texture of the flooring and any substances that may have made the surface slick or features that could have caused you to trip.

Get Images of Road Signs and Landmarks

In addition to photographing the vehicles and ground, take pictures of everything else in the scene because many details could have helped trigger the accident. For instance, if someone piled cut tree limbs on the edge of their property in a way that blocked the visibility of vehicles on the road, that should be recorded because that property owner could potentially be liable for contributing to the cause of the accident. Or if someone dropped a mop and left that handle out, that poses a tripping hazard that is not obvious to shoppers who are looking at merchandise.

It is important to get images of all signs and traffic signals, as well as anything that could have distracted a driver’s attention from the road or impacted visibility. If you notice any traffic or security cameras, take pictures of those as well because the pictures can remind you or your attorney to take action to obtain copies of footage from those cameras.

Take Pictures of Witnesses and Others Involved

While it is a good idea to obtain the contact information of those at the accident scene, there is not always time to talk to everyone right after the accident. Take photos of everyone you see in the vicinity. Some may have been passengers or even drivers of vehicles involved in the accident. Some may be witnesses. If someone presents a license or insurance card, take a photo of it. When the police come to take a report, ask if you can take a photo of the officer’s badge. Capturing photo images is the fastest way to collect and preserve data about people.

Photograph Your Injuries

It is a good idea to take pictures of your injuries right after the crash, even if they are not obvious. The information can be used for comparison later. You can also use the video recording function on your phone to record your memories of what happened leading up to and during the accident.

Photos and Videos to Take in the Days After the Accident

If you missed the chance to get full photos of the accident scene right after the accident, try to get back as soon as possible to photograph the pavement and surroundings. Have someone go to the place where your vehicle was towed and get pictures of the damage if you were not able to capture enough images at the scene.

Take pictures of your injuries regularly throughout the healing process. In addition, take videos showing the difficulty you have accomplishing daily tasks. This can be used as evidence showing the severity of your injuries and the impact the injuries have had on your life.

Work with an Attorney Who Will Help You Gather Evidence and Use it Effectively

To recover full and fair compensation for the pain, suffering, and other losses after an accident, you need detailed evidence, and you need to present it with persuasive arguments. That means you need to work with an attorney who is prepared to put in the effort to dig for evidence, work with experts when necessary to demonstrate causation and make the most effective arguments on your behalf. At Michael M. Day Law Firm, LLC, we know it is a privilege to be given the opportunity to serve our clients, and we focus our efforts on obtaining the best results for each client, one at a time. If you’ve been injured in an accident, contact us for a free consultation where we can explain the ways we will fight to get the compensation you deserve. You pay nothing unless we recover.