Five Tips to Take Better Accident Scene Photos!
We all know the saying: a picture is worth a thousand words.
But sometimes, and especially after a motor vehicle accident, a picture, or a few pictures could save you thousands of dollars.
Nowadays, with the way technology is distributed, for the most part, we all have cameras attached to our phones, and our phones never seem to leave our side. But snapping a few blurry photos after you’ve been involved in an accident doesn’t work as well as you’d think.
Taking the time to capture some high-quality photographs of the accident scene and the damage can tremendously help you, and your attorney prove what exactly took place. The pictures will not only help with accident reconstruction, but can also be helpful in showing a bigger picture of the events that transpired – and, proving liability.
1) Take Pictures of the Entire Scene:
When attempting to document the scene of your accident, it’s best to remember not to get too close!
Make sure that you leave yourself some room, and take a few steps back from the actual area so that the entirety of what you’re looking at fits into the camera frame. From there, it’s key to keep taking pictures from various different angles, until you’ve covered the entire proximity of the accident.
2) Take Pictures of the Vehicles Involved:
This is obvious, but sadly, sometimes, people that we speak to forget this needs to be done!
If you, or someone you love has been involved in an accident, it’s important to take photos of both vehicles. That means not only where the damage took place, but also of the license plates, and both vehicles from a distance. It’s also important to remember to photograph debris in which fell off of either car.
It may also be helpful to take pictures of the other driver’s information, as often times, in the commotion of the situation, you may forget that it needed to be documented – remember, one step at a time and it will all be alright! We’re here to help.
3) Take Photos of Any and Every Contributing Factor:
After a motor vehicle accident, it’s quite common for someone to point out contributing factors.
“Well, the light at the intersection was out and I didn’t know.”
“It’s all because of that pothole back there, it wasn’t my fault.”
That may very well be true, but sadly, most people forget to take photos of these things at the accident scene.
It’s important to document any types of road signs, construction signs, potholes, broken curbs, and broken traffic lights that played a part in the accident taking place. Without these images, it may be difficult for you and your attorney to prove your case in court.
It’s also important to take photos of skid-marks or other key markings at the scene itself so that your attorney can recreate the picture with no problems.
4) Place an Object in Photos for Scale:
If you’re trying to capture an image and you find that it’s too small, and your point is being made, trying placing an item next to it for scale.
For smaller items, you can try a quarter, or a nickel, maybe even a key or a pad lock.
For larger items, try asking a friend or a family member to stand in the picture and use them as a marker to show the intended scale – it may sound funny, but it could be a major factor in proving liability down the road.
5) Always Photograph Injuries
This is probably quite obvious to some, but it does need to be repeated.
If you or someone you love was involved in a motor vehicle accident and suffered injuries as a result – please make sure to document it.
It’s incredibly difficult to make a case for injuries if there are no records and/or photographs of them to be found.
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Since 2013, the attorneys at Lawfty Law have recovered millions of dollars for Washington D.C. accident victims.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident and suspect that someone’s negligence is to blame, you may be entitled to compensation!
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