A witness is a person that was going about their business and saw an incident take place. They can either be pedestrians walking at the side of the road, other car drivers who weren’t involved in the accident, or shop owners who saw what happened from their vantage point. These people are an essential part of personal injury investigations because they help piece together what happened.
Car crash attorneys will look for witnesses as soon as an accident occurs because their testimony can be vital in their case. Read on to learn the importance of having witnesses in your car accident claim.
Why Should You Have Witnesses in Your Car Accident Settlement Claim Case?
1. They Provide First Account Details of the Accident
When an accident occurs, you need people who were present to make a written statement to verify details of the events. A witness helps eliminate the ‘my word versus your word’ scenario because they give an unbiased third party account of what happened. They can explain physical, environmental and other factors that could have caused the accident, such as potholes, a dog running across the road, driver’s temperament, etc.
It is crucial to have more than one witness to establish precise details of the accident. Witnesses can be especially valuable today because they may have recorded the whole incident on their phones, providing even more evidence in support of your claims.
2. They Are Credible
A random stranger on the side of the road who happened to be present at the time of an accident is reliable because they are not affiliated with the people involved in the accident. Because they have no interest in the outcome of the accident, they will have no reason to lie or exaggerate the facts to suit one party. The best witnesses are those that were not harmed in the accident or were not at fault in the accident.
3. They Can Help Determine Fault
A witness can help remove doubt as to who was responsible for the accident. They can say it was a particular driver because they ignored traffic lights or they were talking on the phone just before the accident happened. This helps move the investigation along as such facts help the police with their reports.
4. They Help Fill in Information Gaps
Trauma experienced during and after a car crash can cause memory lapses in the drivers. The accident can cause head injuries, affecting a person’s ability to recollect certain aspects of the accident. Detailed witness statements can help the victims fill in these gaps that could be relevant to the investigation, e.g., a cat running across the street could have made the driver stop the car and cause a rear end collision.
5. They Can Corroborate People’s Facts
If the victims give their account of what happened during the accident, a witness can be brought in to see if the story checks out. They can support a statement where the one responsible for the accident confesses, making the matter more straightforward.
6. They Help Speed up Case Resolution
If your lawyer presents several credible witnesses who can easily corroborate your story and even has video evidence to prove what you are saying, for sure, the case will get settled faster. Insurance companies and courts need a preponderance of evidence to guarantee the victim a proper settlement.
Should You Look for Witnesses Yourself for your Car Accident Settlement Claim?
If you are not significantly injured after an accident, it is wise to start looking for people who witnessed the accidents and get their information. However, if you can’t do that, you can get a car accident lawyer who can follow up on your behalf and collect all the evidence and witness statements you will need for your case.
Article Submitted By Community Writer