4 Reasons Why You Need Witnesses After a Car Accident
August 9, 2022
The process following a car accident can become stressful. Building a successful personal injury claim against a negligent motorist and their insurance carrier can be a complex, challenging process, especially if you’re not familiar with personal injury law. Even with cases that seem straightforward in terms of which driver was negligent and how the accident occurred, the other driver’s insurance company will do whatever it can to deny your claim. In these cases, witness statements will be invaluable.
The Importance of Witnesses in a Traffic Accident
With some accidents, it can be difficult to determine liability. But even when the cause of a collision is clear, such as a distracted driving or an intoxicated driver, an insurance carrier and policies that cover negligent policyholders, will still work hard to deny a claim or minimize payout. An insurance company is a business. It would not make a profit if it handed over the compensation accident victims deserve.
When you hire a personal injury lawyer, they will build your case based on facts, including evidence gathered from the scene of the accident, vehicle repair estimates, medical documentation, and other supporting evidence.
Supporting evidence often includes witness statements provided by people who were present at the scene of the accident.
A person who witnesses an accident can provide valuable information and context regarding how and why the accident occurred, including the environmental and physical factors that could have caused the crash.
- A Witness Can Add Credibility to Your Claim
When you’re involved in an auto accident, you must obtain the names and contact details of any witnesses.
Your accident attorney will contact the witnesses shortly after the accident to get their statements. Third-party witness testimony will be unbiased and can add credibility to your claim by corroborating your side of the story. Auto accident witnesses are not impacted in any way by the crash and will not gain financial compensation for their testimony.
- The Testimony of Eyewitnesses Can Help By Providing a Clearer Picture of How the Accident Occurred
A witness can provide a clear picture of how the accident happened, offering a unique look into the events that led up to the collision and what took place after, including any actions or statements made by each driver involved.
- A Witness Can Help Establish Fault
A witness can help establish which driver was at-fault for the accident by recounting the version of events, including everything they saw before the accident, such as a driver texting, driving at high vehicle speeds, running a red light, swerving, changing lanes without signaling, etc.
- A Witness Can Provide Information Regarding Injuries
Not only will a witness help by providing firsthand knowledge to add credibility to your case, but they can also correct any misinformation that was provided by the at-fault driver, and can help by describing any environmental factors that the negligent driver may attempt to place blame on. Additionally, a witness statement can include information regarding any injuries they noticed at the time of the accident. This can be invaluable to your claim if you were severely injured and the insurance company is disputing the severity of your injuries or is trying to argue that you were injured at some point after the accident.
Accident Settlement Negotiations
Your personal injury lawyer will handle your accident claim and settlement negotiations with the insurance company, allowing you to focus on your recovery, while also preventing you from saying something that may harm your case.
Negotiating with the insurance company can be a long, frustrating, and time-consuming process. However, if your attorney is a skilled settlement negotiator, they will not back down when an insurance company refuses to offer the settlement you deserve.
Contact the Amaro Law Firm Today to Schedule a Free, No-Obligation Legal Consultation
If you were involved in a traffic crash in Texas, contact the Amaro Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation. Our auto accident lawyers will review witness statements, and conduct independent interviews with each witness to make sure the insurance company is unable to hide the facts or diminish a witness’s credibility. We will conduct an in-depth investigation to build a strong case and pursue the financial settlement you deserve for your injuries and other damages.