Harry G. Deitzler Automobile Accidents Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Taking Notes at the Scene of a Car Accident

Grabbing a pen and piece of paper moments after your car accident is probably the furthest thing from most accident victims’ minds.  Note-taking, however, can prove to be a vital part of your case and a valuable piece of evidence as you argue to prove your claim.

Depending on your mental and physical state, you should try to take notes after your crash.  The evidence is fresh and readily available, and there are no clearer memories than the ones recorded during the incident. 

What to Look For

You will most likely have a limited amount of time and resources (your own strength) after a crash, so you will want whatever notes you take to be concise and focused on important factors that help your case:

• Get the other driver’s information—name, address, insurance, DL#, etc.
• Draw a diagram of the accident
• Record the events leading up to the crash—speed traveling, visibility, etc.
• Take down the names of any witnesses
• Describe any physical or mental sensations you experience—pain in leg, ringing in ear, poor vision, etc.
• Write down the time of the accident and the time the police/EMTs arrived

Never compromise your own health or safety in an effort to record notes at the scene.  If you are not able to do this yourself, ask any witnesses to lend a hand and help you take down some important information.

What To Do With the Document

The best thing to do with your document is to have someone bear witness to it as you sign and date it.  That way, there is some proof that the document was not forged or written after the fact as this kind of thing can be disputed by opposing counsel.

You will want to give this document to your lawyer as soon as possible.  He or she will preserve your notes in the case file and pursue any important leads therein.  For example, if you wrote down that you were having double vision after a Charleston car accident and later it surfaces that your head injury has damaged your ocular nerve, your notes can be a vital part of connecting that injury to the crash.

HPCB&D is a personal injury law firm that can represent your auto accident lawsuit in West Virginia in both in-state and out-of-state accident claims and we help injured victims protect their rights and fight for the maximum benefit at settlement.

Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC, Northgate Business Park, 500 Tracy Way, Charleston, WV 25311, Toll Free: 1-866-958-4356