Do I Need Photographs of My Auto Accident?

Understanding Auto Insurance Claims

Merely mentioning the name of an auto insurance company can dredge up feelings of disgust for many people. Whether it is from previous experience with a company or just the horrible feeling of being in an auto accident, nobody wants to deal with auto insurance claims. In my experience dealing with auto insurance claims everyday, the biggest frustration for people who are involved in auto accidents is not knowing what they can do or could have done to help the claim progress.

One of the biggest ways for you to help resolve your auto insurance claim swiftly is to provide photographs of the accident. This may not be easy, but getting the following types of photographs can be of immense help to an auto insurance adjuster:

--Photos of the vehicles right after the accident occurs are the most obvious and most overwhelming to a liability investigation. If you have visual proof of how the vehicles looked right after impact, you have almost everything you need.

--Photos of the vehicles from the scene can still be of great use after the auto accident has occurred if you focus on the points of impact. The points of impact (where the vehicles were damaged in the accident) can tell a lot about how the accident happened. Get several photos from several different angles to avoid any problems with sunlight, shadows, etc.

--Photos of the scene of the accident itself can make a auto liability adjuster's job much easier. No two intersections are exactly alike and the layout can make or break the liability decision. Try to get photos of the view each party would have had just before the accident and label photos before sending them to the adjuster.

--Finally, get photos of other variables that could have affected the auto accident. For instance, if one party was making a u-turn and there is a no u-turn sign posted, get a photo of it. If construction is affecting the traffic, get a photo! These types of variables can change an auto liability decision in an instant.