Documents for Lawyers: Everything to Show After a Car Accident

by Attorney Todd Ivey | Mar 7, 2021 | Blog

About 6 million car crashes occur in the US each year. While 72% of these crashes result in property damage, 27% cause non-fatal injuries. Another 6% lead to fatalities.

Were you recently in a car accident? You could file a lawsuit to receive compensation for your losses. In order to build a car accident case, you’ll need to gather evidence.

Here are the nine documents for lawyers who are building car accident lawsuits. By gathering these documents, you can strengthen your case.

Your lawyer can help you prove the other driver was negligent for the crash. Then, you can fight for the compensation you deserve!

Start building your car accident case by gathering these nine documents today.

1. The Official Police Report

Immediately after the crash, move to the side of the road or a safe space nearby. Then, contact the police.

In many states, you’re legally required to file a police report. Don’t leave the scene without calling the police. Otherwise, you might get charged with a hit-and-run.

Police will arrive on-scene to assess what happened. They’ll speak to you and any other parties involved in the crash. Then, they’ll prepare an official incident or police report.

They’ll likely draft their report on-scene first, then complete it after leaving.

The official police report is one of the most important documents for lawyers building your case. You’ll need it to file your personal injury lawsuit. The police report will note:

If there were any traffic rule violations
Who was involved in the crash
If anyone witnessed the crash
An account of what happened

Make sure to ask the policeofficer who arrives on the scene for a copy of their official report. Get their name and badge number as well. If they’re not finished with the report, you can contact them later to ask for a copy.

Your car accident attorney will start building your case based on the police report.

If you can’t get a copy of it yourself, your lawyer will ask for it on your behalf. Make sure to provide your attorney with the details involving your case. They’ll need the location, date, and driver names to get a copy of your report.

2. Related Citations or Tickets

Did someone cut through a red light? Was one of the drivers drunk? Maybe someone was speeding or texting.

These are all risky behaviors that could lead to a car accident.

When filing their official report, the police officer will note any traffic violations. They’ll give the driver responsible a traffic ticket as well.

You can use this citation to show the insurance company you weren’t at-fault for the car accident.

Let your car accident lawyer know if anyone received a ticket related to the car crash. Your lawyer can use the traffic violation when building your car accident case. They’ll need to confirm the responsible received a violation through the police report you provided.

Were you issued a ticket as a result of the crash? Let your lawyer know. They can review the details of the ticket and determine the best way to proceed.

Don’t worry; having a ticket doesn’t mean you’re liable for the crash. It can play a part in building your case, however.

3. Any Medical Reports

About 20 to 50 million people suffer non-fatal car accident injuries. Many of these injuries result in long-term disabilities.

Even if you don’t havevisible car accident injuries, get checked out by a licensed doctor right away. Many victims sustain internal injuries, such as internal bleeding. If you’ve sustained an internal bleed and don’t receive treatment, it could become fatal.

In some cases, an adrenaline rush can mask your pain. You might not notice pain symptoms until days or even weeksafter the crash.

Visit a doctor regardless of whether or not you notice symptoms. If you don’t file a claim as soon as possible, you might struggle to associate your symptoms with the crash. The other party’s lawyer could argue you were injured another way.

Your car accident attorney will use your medical records to prove you sustained injuries as a result of the crash.

Schedule an independent medical examination immediately after the crash. The physician will note your: