Chicago, IL – When a person brings a civil case for compensation after an accident, it is important that they can provide certain kinds of evidence to help with settlement negotiations. These items may help greatly when trying to prove that the defendant was actually at fault for their losses, as argument on its own is not as powerful if it is unsupported by evidence. An attorney for the plaintiff has much more leverage to try to get a sufficient amount of compensation for their client if they have evidentiary proof of losses and the defendant’s actions.
Pictures of the scene
Each person involved in the crash should try to document the accident and vehicle damage through pictures and video evidence. This will help verify losses during the insurance claim process, and the pictures may also be submitted as evidence during trial. It is also helpful if the pictures are taken quickly after the collision so they can prove what the accident scene looked like before there was an opportunity for anything to be moved or changed. The availability of cameras on smartphones means that this should be a simple process to get some kind of basic photographic evidence.
An accident report generated by a government agency
After an accident is reported, the police or fire department should send over qualified individuals to begin their formal investigation. The report that is created as part of this process is actually one of the most crucial parts of the accident case because it contains independent opinions from third parties who have experience in traffic investigations. This means that the police or fire department has special qualifications, and their opinions may carry more weight than the other witnesses in a court setting or during settlement negotiations.
Witness testimony
It is likely that the drivers involved, their passengers, people who were nearby, and others will each have their own version of what they saw. The lawyers for each party involved have to sort through this testimony and present it in the way that is most favorable to their client. It is possible that some of the witnesses may be called in to take a deposition to give more thorough statements under oath. If a trial is necessary, the most important witnesses may also be called to testify in front of the jury.
More information about accidents in Illinois
Dinizulu Law Group is available to help anyone who has been hurt in an accident in the Chicago area. Their attorneys can meet and discuss the process to bring a civil lawsuit against the person or business responsible.
Join the conversation!