Car accidents happen every day, but that doesn’t make them any less jarring when they happen. In the immediate aftermath of a collision, both drivers need to gather any relevant evidence at the scene to file their insurance claims. But while you know you should exchange information with the driver and take photos of the damage, will this be enough to support your claim with insurers?
After ensuring no one is hurt and trading contact information, you should use the camera on your smartphone to capture images that depict how the accident occurred. When photographing the scene, here are a few ways to ensure you get the right information for your insurance company:
Capture multiple angles
After an accident, a good rule of thumb is to take pictures from all four corners of your car as well as the other party’s vehicle. Take photos of the damage up close and from a distance to give your insurers a full picture of what happened.
Add scale to your images
Giving your images a sense of scale can help the insurance company understand the severity of the damage. For example, if you take a picture of a dent or scratch after an accident, placing an everyday object such as a coin or pen in the image will help highlight the damage’s actual size.
Photograph your surroundings
Once you have thoroughly documented your vehicle’s damage, be sure to take pictures of the street and the area around your accident. Capture any street signs or traffic signals that may have played a role in your crash.
Take pictures of objects or road debris
If there were anything on the road that may have contributed to your accident, such as a pothole or object in the street that caused a driver to swerve, you’d want to photograph this as well. It would help if you also documented any road work or construction zones near the accident.
Ultimately, the more pictures you have that support our claim after an accident, the smoother your claims process will go. However, suppose you are not offered the compensation you deserve after an accident. In that case, a legal professional can go over your case’s details with you and help hold the right people accountable.