If you are lucky, there may have been a pedestrian, fellow driver, or otherwise, an individual present to witness your car accident play out. This is because they may be able to help you out by offering witness testimony. Read on to discover how you should collect witness testimony after your car accident and how a seasoned Pasco County, Florida car accident lawyer at Wendy Doyle-Palumbo, Esq. can walk you through the process.

What is witness testimony?

First of all, a witness is someone who has knowledge about a matter, which in this case is your car accident. And so, a witness may provide oral or written testimonial evidence of what they know or claim to know about your car accident. They may provide this testimonial evidence to either a police officer working on an accident report at the scene, an insurance adjuster working on your claim, or a court working on your legal action.

What should I do to collect witness testimony after my car accident?

Without further ado, below is the recommended approach you should take for collecting witness testimony while still at the scene of your accident:

  1. Ask the witness about their willingness to offer a testimony to the present police officer.
  2. Ask the witness about their willingness to share their name, number, email address, etc. for future contact for your insurance claim and/or personal injury lawsuit.
  3. Ask the witness about their willingness to share any photos or videos they took of your accident to be used as physical evidence for your claim.

If the witness accepts, then you should start collaborating with them as soon as possible. That is, you will want them to provide testimonial evidence before the other party’s insurance adjuster potentially intimidates them from doing so. And you will want this evidence before the deadline for your claim, which in Florida is four years from the date of your accident.

What other evidence should I collect after my car accident?

In addition to testimonial evidence, physical evidence is also important for your car accident injury claim. So, you may satisfy your burden of proof with the following pieces of evidence:

  • Photos and videos of your personal injuries, car damages, and the overall scene of the accident.
  • A copy of surveillance camera footage of your accident playing out, if possible.
  • A copy of the accident report that was conducted at the scene of the accident.
  • Copies of your medical documents that state when and how your injuries occurred.
  • Copies of your medical bills that state the total expense of your required treatments.

For legal assistance throughout this process, reach out to a competent Pasco County, Florida auto accident lawyer today. We await your call.