How Can A Witness Help With My Car Accident Case?
Car accidents occur every day and we never want it to be our fault. But things happen so fast, it can honestly be hard to tell. If you’re lucky enough to have a witness on your side, it can be paramount to winning an insurance claim. Knowing that, it is often the first question an adjuster asks because they know the two drivers' testimonies will conflict. If you’ve been involved in an accident, call a local Philadelphia car accident lawyer to handle your case and help you make the most of your witness testimony.
Not Anyone Can Be A Witness
After an accident, you may find yourself looking around the scene for a witness but unfortunately not everyone is credible according to your insurance company. A credible witness is a 3rd party, non-biased person who saw the accident unfold in its entirety meaning: before, during, and after. It’s also extremely important the witness can prove they were not distracted during the unfolding of the accident. For example, if the witness looked away at any point (to check their phone, check on their dog or child) they will not be considered credible and it will not help your case. If you do have a credible witness, be sure to get their contact information and their permission to be questioned and interviewed.
What Information To Get From A Witness
If you have a credible witness, get their contact information and a brief unfolding of the events. At that moment, try to get them to write down the initial information and sign and date it for credibility. Try to set up a time, as soon as possible, away from the accident to get a full statement and have them fill out a witness questionnaire from your insurance company. Your lawyer will also want to know certain and specific details regarding the accident in case it goes to court.
Your lawyer may ask the following questions: what was the witness doing when they arrived at the scene of the accident, if they had a clear view, what they were doing before, during and after it happened, and other details about the weather conditions and traffic rules.
How Witnesses Can Help
If there aren’t any witnesses to an accident, it’s usually a messy tangle of sorting out both sides of the case which generally comes down to what the insurance company thinks happened. This is why having a witness is imperative. A witness can provide a trustworthy, unbiased account of an accident that an agent and lawyer will rely on for accuracy. A 3rd party has no benefit from who is right or wrong, so their perspective is more valuable than people or friends personally involved.
A witness can also provide an honest account of accident injuries. An insurance company may try to deny or downplay your injuries and a witness can attest to the validity and seriousness of the injuries they saw.
It isn’t uncommon that the liability of an accident case comes down to witness accounts and the willingness for them to testify in court. A witness to your accident can be the determining factor in deciding who’s at fault. If you’ve been in an accident in the Philadelphia area, contact an expert Philadelphia lawyer to start your case off right.