Articles Tagged with evidence

Car accidents continue to be a primary safety threat for motorists across the US, and the problem even hits close to home in Florida. According to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), there are around 72,000 people hurt in auto collisions throughout South Florida, a figure that includes Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Many of these victims suffered injuries so serious that they were immediately transported to local trauma centers for emergency treatment. 

While urgent medical care is a priority, being rushed to the hospital does create a dilemma for victims of motor vehicle crashes: They cannot remain at the scene to gather the evidence that is essential for purposes of legal remedies. Fortunately, there are strategies for collecting proof, and a Miami car accidents attorney can tackle investigations. However, you should be aware of some key sources of evidence when you are taken from the site of a crash.

  • Occupants of Your Vehicle: If you were traveling with friends or family, you may need to rely on these individuals to collect evidence for you. Cell phone cameras are the best way to capture damage to the vehicles, traffic signage, physical conditions at the scene, weather, vehicle skid marks, and related factors.

Traditional evidence may only go so far in a Miami car accident case, since there can be credibility issues, subjectivity or bias, difficulties with collecting items at the scene, and many other challenges. Plus, in a fatal auto crash, the victim is not around to provide details on what circumstances led up to and caused the incident. If you are an injured victim or surviving family member of someone killed in a collision, you might feel helpless about the evidence you have to support your claim for compensation.

Fortunately, there are other options that can fill the gaps – or even provide more solid evidence regarding the crash. Most recent auto models are equipped with electronic data recorders (EDR) that may give you an advantage with proof, and your Miami car accidents attorney can explain in more detail. Some basics may also be informative.

Overview of EDR Functions

ferdinand-stohr-652260-unsplash-copy-300x200On average, there are more than 64,000 traffic-related accidents according to the Crash Dashboard prepared annually by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle. That means that it is possible that you or someone you know could be involved in a collision involving property damage, injuries, or even fatalities. While this is the last situation you want to face, it is important to take certain actions in the immediate aftermath of a car accident. Your health is a first priority, but you should also be gathering as much information from the scene as possible. 

Fortunately, today’s technology has provided you with a very important tool for collecting evidence — your smartphone. The vast majority of devices include a camera, enabling you to capture images and video that will help your Miami car accidents attorney prove the essential components of your claim. Here are five things you should take pictures of after the incident.

  • All Vehicles: Getting a visual of damage to all vehicles is important because it demonstrates the serious nature of the crash. Though injuries can result from even minor collisions, pictures of severe dents and cracks are evidence of a particularly violent impact. In addition, these images may reveal who was at fault in the accident, which can sometimes be determined by the location of the damage.

It may seem like a personal injury trial that involves an automobile accident, especially one with clear liability, would not need an abundance of experts to make a case to a jury. In fact, to many people, in cases where negligence is clear, the case may seem “easy.” But in fact, even a straightforward auto injury case, can end up involving a multitude of experts.

Who is an Expert?

An expert is needed to testify about matters that require more than what a layperson would know in a given field. In fact, it may even require testimony beyond what someone who is just working in a given field would ordinarily know.

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