You may be confident that your Indianapolis car accident was caused by the other driver, but he may be just as confident that he did nothing wrong. Car crashes often come down to one driver’s word against the other’s. One way to back up your claim that you did not contribute to the cause of the accident is to gather the testimony of eyewitnesses.
Witnesses at the Scene Can Provide Powerful Testimony
Finding people who actually saw the crash as it happened could be vital to proving your claim. The best time to do this is at the scene of the crash. Asking witnesses for their contact information as the crash is cleaned up is an important step to take. However, if you are unable to talk to people at the scene because of your injuries or state of mind, you can follow up later with the police, who should have taken names and phone numbers as they investigated the crash. Our Indianapolis car accident attorney adds that the more credible your witnesses are, the stronger your claim will be. People witness crashes from various vantage points, including the following:
- Passenger in your car. An uninjured passenger in your car would know what you were doing and may have seen what the other driver was doing right before the crash, but will be considered a biased witness since he or she was in your car.
- Driver of another car. Another driver may have seen the accident unfold and may be able to describe what happened. While this could be a credible witness, he will likely be questioned about how much he could have seen while he was driving his own car.
- Passenger of another car. Like the driver of another car, a passenger in a nearby car may have seen the whole accident. This could be an excellent witness as he would not have been distracted by his own driving and may be able to provide important details.
- Bystander. More common in accidents that happen in populated areas, a pedestrian waiting to cross the street, walking down the sidewalk, or even sitting inside a restaurant could be a highly credible witness if he or she saw the accident from start to finish.
- Surveillance video. Clearly, the most objective “witness” would be footage from a nearby security camera or another driver’s dash cam. Your attorney will investigate this possibility and secure any video that will help your case.
Just like in a criminal case, witnesses will be questioned by the insurance adjuster or attorney for the at-fault party to find something that makes them less credible, such as a criminal record, intoxication at the time of the accident, or distraction by something else going on.
Your Car Accident Attorney From Keller & Keller Will Do the Legwork
You have enough on your plate recovering from your injuries to worry about finding and interviewing witnesses. That’s why it is so important to call an attorney as soon as possible after your crash. When you call Keller & Keller in Indianapolis, we will get to work right away finding and talking to witnesses. It is our job to present the strongest possible claim on your behalf to get you the settlement you deserve.
|
Related Links: |
