No one gets behind the wheel thinking that they will be involved in a car accident. However, accidents do happen even to the most careful drivers. In fact, the simple act of driving on a public road in California puts you at great risk of being involved in an accident. The state is amongst those with the highest number of commuter traffic accidents in the country. It is therefore worth being armed with information on what to do following an accident.

Your actions after a car accident will have a major impact on your claim for compensation. Gathering evidence following the accident is one of the best things you can do to improve your chances of making a successful claim.

Car accident attorneys in California advise that you take photos and videos of the accident scene and damages resulting from the accident. The images you capture will play a crucial role in proving liability. They will be used as evidence against the opposing party. The following are tips on how to capture the best images after a car accident.

Take as many photos and videos as you can

You can never have too many images of the car crash. You never know which photo or video will contain the information and evidence you need to prove liability. It is also important to record as much information as possible as there are many things that go unnoticed or are forgotten in the stress and trauma that follows car accidents.

Use your cellphone to record the crash as soon as possible after it has occurred. If your injuries don’t allow you to do so, ask a bystander to do so on your behalf.

Don’t leave anything out

It is impossible to tell what will be considered crucial evidence in your car accident. It is therefore important to record everything. Do your best to capture:

• Your injuries and injuries of your passengers if any – These should include swelling, bruising, cuts and broken bones. They may also include recordings of the development of complications following the accident such as infections on wounds that were caused by the accident.
• Damage to the vehicle – This should include images of the exterior and interior of the vehicle. You should also take pictures of the other vehicles involved in the accident.
• Vehicle identifiers such as car models, makes, license plate numbers and any other distinct marks on the vehicles that can be used to identify them such as artwork
• Images of the surroundings such as road hazards, road signs, lights, trees and the landscaping – These images will play an important role in reconstructing the accident and determining liability.

Capture images from different perspectives

It isn’t enough to capture an image from only one angle. There may be crucial information lost as a result. You should try to get a wide range of views of the same thing. Take close-ups, wide-angles, panoramic images as well as images from different angles.

Submit the evidence you gather at the scene to your personal injury attorney as soon after the accident as possible. This will give your attorney time to investigate the accident and build your case.