Shreveport Injury Lawyer > Blog > Auto Accident > How to Document a Traffic Crash

How to Document a Traffic Crash

After any kind of traffic collision in the Shreveport area, it is essential to document the scene as well as you can so that you have the best case for seeking financial compensation through an insurance claim or a civil lawsuit. Certainly, it may be impossible in some circumstances to document a traffic crash if your injuries are particularly severe. In these cases, your lawyer can still obtain important evidence to support your claim, such as police reports and medical records, and the dedicated attorneys at Rice & Kendig, LLC will always obtain this type of documentation for you when we are working on your case. When you are able to do so, however, it can be extremely helpful to document the traffic crash scene yourself, as well.

How should you document a scene where a motor vehicle collision occurred? Consider the following tips from our Shreveport auto collision lawyers.

Make a Record of Your Immediate Impressions

If you are able to do so, make a record of your immediate impressions from the collision. You can do this by jotting down notes on your phone in an email or in a notes app, or by recording voice notes. Your thoughts and observations from the very time of the crash may be helpful in your insurance claim or civil lawsuit.

Photograph and Videotape the Scene of the Crash

Photographing and making videos of the scene of the crash are both extremely important elements of documenting the scene. Use your phone to take a wide range of photos, including still images from different angles and perspectives. Taking video can also be helpful to show the entire scene of the crash and where certain spaces are in relation to others.

Identify Names and Information for Others at the Scene

You should be sure to document the names and information for anyone at the scene of the crash. This includes police officers who respond to the scene and other emergency responders, others involved in the collision (as drivers or passengers or pedestrians), and any witnesses who observed the collision or its aftermath. According to Allstate, you should ask any police or responders at the scene for a badge number and other identifying information to make it easier for a police report to be retrieved.

Ask for Witness Information

Witness information can often be very helpful in car crash cases, especially when the facts are in dispute. You should certainly obtain detailed contact information from any witnesses, and it also may be helpful to obtain additional information from witnesses about what they saw or heard.

While the police will also make a detailed crash report required by Louisiana law, you should document the scene to your best ability in order to help your case later on.

Contact a Shreveport Traffic Injury Lawyer

The experienced Shreveport auto injury attorneys at Rice & Kendig, LLC have years of experience representing clients in traffic collision cases involving passenger vehicles, large trucks, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Whether you need help determining the best way to seek compensation for injuries following a crash or you are ready to file a claim, our firm is here to help you. Contact us today to learn more about the services we provide to clients in Louisiana.

Sources:

allstate.com/resources/car-insurance/in-case-of-a-car-accident#:~:text=Document%20the%20accident%20thoroughly%20by,to%20help%20support%20your%20claim

sp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Divisions/Multimodal/Highway_Safety/Misc%20Documents/Louisiana%20Crash%20Report%20Manual%202019%20.pdf

By Rice & Kendig, LLC | Posted on October 12, 2023

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