The best means of documenting auto accident damage is adopting the mindset of an investigator hot on the trail of a breaking news story. Gather as much information as you can about the incident. The more evidence you are able to collect, the better off you will be when it comes to trying to get compensation from the insurance company regarding the damage your car sustained.
Document Any Damages Using Pictures
Pictures are worth a thousand words, potentially even a thousand dollars when it comes to gathering evidence from the crash scene. The insurance company claims adjuster is going to do everything he or she can to make your settlement as little as possible. They have numerous ways to do this, such as questioning any evidence that you present in the accident reports. Thanks to a slip & fall attorney in Ocala, FL, you can have someone who is working in your favor to make sure you receive everything you are entitled to and more. Steven A. Bagen Law Firm has offices in Gainesville and Ocala, Florida.
The best thing you can do is have photos substantiating your claims. The more photos you take at the scene, the more evidence you are going to have available to substantiate your claim.
For those who don’t have a camera on them, use your cell phone to take pictures. Take as many pictures as possible. Taking multiple photos from various angles and distances of the damage is crucial. Take pictures of any road obstructions, skid marks, potholes, missing road signs, bent signs and anything else that might provide valuable insight into how the accident happened. Make sure to let the slip & fall attorney in Ocala, FL review any evidence you might have, so that way they can present it in a manner that is the most beneficial to you and your claim.
If you took the photos with a camera, make sure to get them developed right away. You need to record notes on the back of the photos describing what each one of the pictures documents. The more information you can write about each photo, the better it is going to be at explaining your case to the adjustor.
Record the Accident Details on Paper
After you take the photos, take a little bit of time and record all of the events surrounding the accident on paper. Details are critical. If your case does end up going to court, you are going to have a lot of time between the trial and the accident. Months at a time will go by, which can cause your memories of the accident to fade. Notes will help to maintain accuracy and ensure no detail is left out of your claim. A slip & fall attorney in Ocala, FL can document everything for you and ask relevant questions surrounding your claim to make sure they know exactly what happened as well. No detail is too small, no matter how insignificant it might seem at the time.
Ask for a Copy of the Police Report or Medical Report
Your slip & fall attorney Ocala FL can help you obtain a copy of any relevant reports. You can use the report to gauge how accurate all of your notes are, while paying special attention to whether there are any inconsistencies between the two statements or reports.
Present the Evidence from the Accident
If you have a slip & fall attorney in Ocala, FL working on your side, he or she will be able to organize all of this information for you. Depending on how the claim is handled, you might not have to worry about presenting any evidence to the insurance company. In the event that you do have to present evidence, you will be glad that you were diligent and took the time to gather all of the detailed proof that you did. It’s always better to be safe than it is to be sorry later and lose out on a lot of money from lack of evidence.
Most of the insurance carriers are pros at being able to handle a number of different insurance claims, but if you aren’t happy with the claims experience, you might want to check into a different insurance company. Take the time to discuss any questions or concerns you might have about the accident and your settlement with your personal injury or slip & fall attorney in Ocala, FL. Steven A. Bagen Law Firm is a personal injury firm with offices in Ocala and Gainesville, Florida.
