How Eyewitnesses Can Help Your Car Accident Claim
When you’re hurt in a car accident, it might feel like no one’s on your side. The other side is determined to tell their story, their insurance company is hassling you about getting a recorded statement, and you have no idea how you’re going to get the money you’re owed.
But don’t forget that you do have people supporting you. You have your experienced car accident attorney, who’s committed to getting the compensation you’re owed. On top of that, you may also have eyewitnesses who are ready to tell your attorney what really happened.
You can rest easy when you can have a strong legal team fighting for you every step of the way. The team at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri has built their reputation on their relentless representation of injury clients. We’ll use every bit of evidence available to prove your case to the insurance company and demand full and fair compensation. Call us at 1-855-WINNING (946-6464) or submit your accident claim NOW to set up a consultation right now.
Your Word Only Goes So Far With Insurance Companies
It’s important to write down your retelling of an accident as soon as possible. However, no matter how detailed or complete it is, it has limitations. No matter what, the other party’s insurance company is always going to favor their client’s words over yours. Remember, they are interested in saving money. If they can claim that you are at fault and that their client is blameless, they don’t have to pay you anything. On top of that, they can go after your insurance company for damages. If the other party’s story is contrary to yours and there’s no physical evidence to support either side, the odds are against you.
Eyewitnesses Can Corroborate or Add On to Your Testimony
That’s where your eyewitnesses come in. There are two ways eyewitnesses can help your personal injury claim.
First, they can corroborate the information you have already provided. Consider, for example, an accident at an intersection with traffic lights. You know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the light was green when you entered the intersection. The other car came from the left and hit you during their red light.
The other driver insists that their light was green and yours was red. Unfortunately, there were no other drivers at the intersection, which makes it hard to prove your side. Luckily for you, there was someone shopping at the pharmacy on the corner. They were walking out to their car when the car accident happened, and they are absolutely certain that they saw the other driver run a red light. This strengthens your claim considerably.
An eyewitness can also add on to what you observed during the accident. You can only take in so much information, no matter how much you’re paying attention. An eyewitness may be able to provide details that offer context to the accident and add credibility to your claim. Consider the example above. There was another driver waiting at the same intersection as the other driver. As the other driver flew through the intersection on a red light, the eyewitness noticed that they had their eyes down toward their phone and only swerved away once they looked up.
Connecting With Eyewitnesses
Finding eyewitnesses can be a challenge if you are already overwhelmed with other accident-related tasks. Your best opportunity is to talk to people at the scene of the accident. People often stop to provide assistance. Use that opportunity to get their contact information so you can pass it along to your attorney.
After the accident, you may have other chances to reach out to eyewitnesses. If the car accident took place near a residential or commercial area, you may reach out to those who live in nearby homes or work in neighboring businesses to see if they observed anything. It’s important to do this fairly quickly so that their memories of the accident are fresh.
Using an Eyewitness’s Testimony
This isn’t the time to start piecing together a case on your own. Talking to eyewitnesses and trying to question them about what they saw could hamper your case, especially if the insurance company thinks that you have told them what to say. Instead of taking this into your own hands, let your lawyer take the reins.
Start Your Claim Now—Choose the Team at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri
With the team at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri by your side, you can fight for every dollar you are owed after a car accident. Let’s set up a consultation as soon as possible—we’re ready to learn more about your accident and start building your claim – serving Arcadia Glendale, Altadena, Alhambra and throughout LA county.. Call us at 1-855-WINNING or send us a message online.
Mark Algorri has successfully represented individuals and their families in matters involving serious and catastrophic injuries, insurance claims denials, and wrongful deaths, achieving a success rate of 99 percent for our clients.
