How Do I Find Witnesses After a Car Accident?
After an accident, deciphering who is at fault is not always straightforward. You need to provide all the necessary evidence in order to recover the full compensation for your injuries. When there isn’t enough evidence to support your injury or property damage claim, the at-fault’s insurance provider can lower your settlement demand or deny your claim altogether. In such a situation, finding neutral and credible witnesses to back your claim is very critical. If you don’t have any witnesses yet, working with experienced Daytona Beach car accident attorneys can help you identify and track down credible witnesses after a car accident in Daytona Beach, Florida.
How to find reliable witnesses after a car accident
It is understandable that you could be distraught and shaken up after an accident. However, whenever possible, one of the best things to do is to identify witnesses as soon as it is safe to do so. Here are several ways to help you find reliable witnesses:
1. Speak with people at the accident scene.
Your best chance of getting credible witnesses is by talking to people at the scene. Most often, after an accident, the traffic stops or gets stalled for a while until the road is cleared. Such occurrences provide you with the best opportunity to speak to other motorists who may have witnessed the accident unfold. Additionally, you could get information from pedestrians, nearby business owners, or homeowners who may have seen the accident from their premises or homes.
2. Return to the scene later.
In situations where you suffer severe injuries, you may not talk with witnesses at the scene. However, you could later return to the accident scene and speak to nearby business owners or homeowners who could have witnessed the accidents. If they didn’t, they could help you identify someone who did and could assist.
3. Obtain the police report.
When compiling a report after an accident, the police will often speak with the onlookers. From this police report, you may find the names of people who can help you with your case. When tracking down witnesses, it would be best to work with experienced Daytona Beach car accident attorneys when finding reliable witnesses.
4. Talk to other witnesses.
If you can only locate one witness, it is possible that the witness could have been in the company of other individuals and could help you find them. Getting many agreeing accounts of the events surrounding the accident can help in legitimizing your version of events.
Information to get from witnesses after a car accident
Once you have tracked witnesses that are willing to help you in your case, it is important to obtain as much information from them as possible. The kind of information to get includes:
- Full legal names
- Home and work addresses
- Home and work contacts
Armed with the witnesses’ contact information, you could proceed to get their detailed account of what transpired during the accident.
Whenever possible, and when your witnesses allow it, you could record their on-the-scene version of the events on your phone. However, don’t pressure them to do so or say anything if they are not comfortable because you don’t want to risk losing a witness.
Hire skilled Daytona Beach car accident attorneys today
At Zimmet & Zimmet, we understand the toll an accident can have on you and would love to walk with you in your difficult moment. We have an experienced team of Daytona Beach car accident attorneys who have been practicing law in Florida for over 30 years and have a history of success to back it up. We give undivided attention to every individual case ensuring that our clients get the most favorable outcomes for their case.
Contact us online today or give us a call at 386-210-3720 to book a free case evaluation.
