What Kind of Evidence Is Used in a Personal Injury Case?

After being hurt, you may decide to file a personal injury claim. These claims help you seek compensation for the losses you suffered as well as hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions. To successfully prove that a person or company caused your injuries, you must have evidence backing your claim.

Below, the attorneys at Price, Petho & Associates will go over the kinds of evidence used in personal injury cases.

Photos and video footage

You will need some type of visual proof of what happened to you, where the accident happened, how it happened, and who caused it. Therefore, if you or someone else took photos or videos showing this, it will be very beneficial to your case.

Victims are always encouraged to record and take photos of the accident scene, but we know that this cannot always happen. However, there is a high chance that police officers or witnesses may have captured footage of the scene. If this is the case, you will need to obtain copies.

If the accident occurred in public, there is also a possibility that cameras were around to capture the incident. You can check for traffic cameras, business cameras, or even home security cameras.

However, if no photo or video footage exists, your Charlotte personal injury lawyer may ask for you to take photos and videos of where the accident occurred after the fact. This may help them understand and become aware of how the environment looks and what exactly may have happened.

Medical records

It is very important that you show proof of your injuries. One of the best ways to do this is by showing medical records. These records explain the extent of your injuries, your treatment plan, and any information your healthcare provider gives.

If you do not have medical records, the insurance company or defendant’s legal team may argue that your injuries were not severe. Therefore, you will want to make sure that you get checked out by a licensed physician who can observe and document your injuries.

It is also important to mention that you cannot use old medical records as your injuries must be new and linked to your accident. The defendant’s lawyers and insurance companies will make sure that your injuries are not due to a past accident.

Accident reports

Whenever you call law enforcement or file an injury notification with a business, there should be an accessible report of the accident. Most of the time, accident reports provide details such as where it happened, how it happened, when it happened, and names of witnesses.

You can contact the police or the place where you filed an accident report to receive a copy.  Once you have this copy, make sure you give it to your attorney. This can make a big difference to the outcome of your case.

Medical bills

While you do need to show that you received medical care and are on a treatment plan, you must also show that your injuries have caused you medical expenses. By providing your medical bills, insurance companies and the defendant’s legal team will be able to see everything you have paid to the hospital, doctor’s offices, at-home care services, pharmacies, and more.

Other financial information

We are aware that your expenses go beyond medical bills. Injuries keep people out of work, which makes their daily bills begin to pile up. Therefore, if you can show W2s and pay stubs, that will be very helpful in proving the amount of income you have lost due to your injuries.

Witness statements

If another person sees your accident, asking them to provide a witness statement will help strengthen your claim. The reason that this makes your claim stronger is because another person can confirm what happened to you.

A Charlotte personal injury attorney will look over the witness statement to make sure that it closely aligns with everything you have mentioned. If it does, it will be used to reiterate the facts of your claim. However, if the witness statement does not match what you have said, your lawyer will ask you about the differences. Afterwards, they most likely decide not to use this piece of evidence as it could negatively impact your chances of winning the case.

Tangible evidence

Tangible evidence is all physical evidence that can be observed in person. Some examples of this type of evidence are damage to your vehicle, vandalism to your house, a cut to your face, and more. This evidence can be very helpful to your claim as it provides a better understanding of what happened and the effect it had on you.

Expert testimonies

Expert witnesses are vital to the success of a personal injury claim. These witnesses are professionals who are experienced and knowledgeable in a certain field. They are hired by personal injury lawyers to review evidence and provide their opinion.

There are different types of expert witnesses. For example, an attorney may use medical expert witnesses to look at your injuries and provide their opinion regarding them. They may also enlist the help of a financial expert witness to determine how much of your income has been reduced.

It is no secret that you need strong evidence to prove your side of the story. This can be a time-consuming and challenging process. However, with the help of our personal injury attorneys at Price, Petho & Associates, we will make the process of gathering evidence as smooth as possible. Schedule a free consultation at one of our office locations in Charlotte, Rutherfordton, or Rockingham. Call our office or complete our contact form today. We look forward to speaking with you soon.