Eyewitnesses Can Strengthen Your Accident Case

There are a lot of different kinds of evidence that accident victims can use when trying to  establish liability for their injuries, including everything from video footage and photos to police reports and medical records. One of the most convincing forms of evidence, however, is eyewitness testimony from those who have firsthand knowledge of the accident. This type of evidence can help bolster a victim’s claim by corroborating his or her version of events, filling in details, and providing context.

Types of Evidence 

When pursuing a personal injury case, claimants can use a wide range of evidence, but most build their cases on:

• Photos from the scene of the accident;
• Photos of their injuries;
• Police reports;
• Video footage from nearby security cameras, dashboard cams, and even doorbell cameras;
• The victim’s medical records;
• Cell phone and other electronic records; and
• Expert testimony.

All of these kinds of evidence have their own strengths when it comes to establishing liability for an accident. One of the most convincing, however, is testimony from eyewitnesses who actually saw the accident occur.

How Important are Eyewitnesses? 

When it comes to personal injury cases, eyewitness testimony is one of the most important pieces of evidence for a claimant’s case, as they can provide specific information and insight not only into the accident itself, but into the events leading up to it and the moments afterwards. This perspective is important, as witnesses can provide an unbiased, third party view of the accident, which the victim, who may still be traumatized and the at-fault party, who is trying to avoid being held liable, clearly cannot provide. The information they relay can also strengthen a victim’s credibility, helping prove to a jury that the trauma of an accident didn’t actually skew his or her perspective. Eyewitnesses can corroborate the victim’s account, significantly strengthening the injured party’s case.

Finding Eyewitnesses 

There are a number of ways to identify eyewitnesses who can strengthen a victim’s case. Many will voluntarily come forward after an accident to provide their contact information and a brief statement of what they saw. Eyewitnesses can also be found through police reports, video footage of the accident, and interviewing individuals who live or work near the site of the accident. Fortunately, even if you can’t find any witnesses for your own case, you aren’t out of luck. Our attorneys can help identify any that may have been overlooked and can also use other types of evidence to build your case.

The Legal Representation You Deserve 

At Boone & Davis, we have the experience and resources to compile and organize the kinds of evidence that will strengthen our clients’ cases. This often includes identifying and working with eyewitnesses who saw the accident occur. If you believe that there are witnesses who saw your own accident and can help establish liability, please reach out to our legal team at 954-566-9919 today. Our dedicated Florida personal injury lawyers can help identify those witnesses and determine whether their testimony will help or hurt your case.

 Sources:

 selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/civil-lawsuit/personal-injury

forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/what-to-do-after-accident/