A “to-do-list” is usually the last thing someone wants to worry about immediately after being involved in a car wreck. However, there are a number of things that you need to do once everyone’s health has been checked on, beginning with taking the following photographs:

1.      Damage to All Vehicles Involved – Photographing damage to all vehicles involved may help establish the severity of the impact between the vehicles involved, how the auto accident was caused, and the damages to your vehicle under your property damage claim.

2.      Your Bodily Injuries – You should take photographs of injuries to your body that can be visibly seen (e.g. bruises and cuts) to evidence that you’ve actually suffered those injuries, as they usually heal within days.

3.      Other Vehicle’s License Plate – Photographs of the other vehicle’s license plate may assist the police in identifying the other driver(s) involved, should he or she flee the scene without giving identifying information to you. That information can also be used to identify the insurance carrier for that vehicle.

4.      Entire Scene – Taking photographs of the entire scene at various angles is critical. Pictures of the resting place/positioning of the vehicles, markings (e.g. tire marks, bridge walls or rails), traffic lights, and traffic signs, may assist with reconstructing the accident and determining liability.

5.      Your Vehicle’s Odometer – If your vehicle is totaled, the odometer reading may impact the value of your property damage claim. Many times the vehicle is towed away and the owner of the vehicle does not remember the vehicle’s mileage before the accident.

6.      Damaged Personal Belongings – Photographs of damaged personal belongings, such as phones, smart tablets, car seats, and etc., may be used to support an additional property damage claim for those items.

Lastly, if your camera is broken or you don’t have a camera with you, ask a witness or the police officer at the scene to take photographs for you. Give that person contact information that he or she may use to send the photographs to you. Once received, store them in a safe place and give them to your attorney if you chose to hire one.

For other suggested action following a motor vehicle accident, read our our previous blog, “7 Steps to Take After a Car Accident, or call the Russell Law Firm at 225-307-0088.

By:       Danny Russell, Baton Rouge area personal injury attorney, licensed in Louisiana.

Danny Russell is a Baton Rouge car wreck and personal injury lawyer who has experience dealing with the insurance companies and working towards getting you the proper medical treatment so that you can get back on your feet and maximize your recovery. If you have been involved in a car wreck in Baton Rouge or anywhere else in Louisiana, contact a car wreck attorney at the Russell Law Firm in Baton Rouge. We will immediately begin scheduling treatment for you and dealing with the insurance companies for your vehicle repairs and personal injury claims.

By: Danny Russell, Baton Rouge area personal injury attorney, licensed in Louisiana and admitted in the following courts:

– All Louisiana District Courts
– All Louisiana Appellate Courts
– Louisiana Supreme Court
– U.S. Middle District Court of Louisiana
– U.S. Western District Court of Louisiana
– U.S. Eastern District Court of Louisiana
– U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

**Information furnished herein is only general and not a substitute for personalized legal advice. The photographs are not depictions of any actual even or scenes, but merely dramatizations. 

****The photograph above is not a depiction of any actual event or scene, but merely a dramatization.