Importance of Photos After a Phenix City Car Wreck

According to state law, Alabama drivers who are involved in traffic accidents must stop and stay at the scene. Anyone who violates this requirement may be subject to criminal charges, but this is hardly helpful to hit and run victims who are left injured and stranded.

If you were the victim of a hit and run accident in Alabama, you may be feeling shocked and overwhelmed. You may be concerned about how you’ll pay for your crash-related expenses and whether the driver who injured you will ever be brought to justice. This is where the dedicated car accident attorneys at Bence Law Firm LLC come in.

For many years, our team has worked relentlessly to help accident victims recover the compensation they deserve. When we take you on as a client, you can expect to work directly with David Bence, our principal attorney and an Alabama native who works hard to improve the lives of those he serves. To learn more about your legal options, contact a Phenix City hit and run accident lawyer at our firm today.

Hit and Run Laws in Alabama

Some of the most important traffic laws in Alabama concern drivers’ legal duties following a motor vehicle accident. Specifically, Alabama law requires all drivers who are involved in hit and run accidents to:

Stop at the scene of the accident, if they collided with a vehicle driven or attended by another person or caused any property damage, injury, or death.
Stop, locate, and notify the owners of any unattended vehicles damaged in the collision or leave behind their contact information in a conspicuous note.
Provide their names, addresses, and vehicle registration numbers to anyone who was struck by or attending a motor vehicle that was struck in the collision.
Display their drivers’ license information upon request to anyone struck by or attending a motor vehicle that was struck in the collision.
Render reasonable assistance, including providing or arranging for transportation to medical facilities, to anyone injured in the accident.

Drivers who leave the scene of an accident without providing the necessary information or fail to uphold these responsibilities may be charged with hit and run violations and face associated penalties. If a hit and run accident results in only property damage, drivers can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. If anyone is hurt or killed in a hit and run, violators may be charged with far more serious Class C felonies, which carry sentences involving several years in prison.

What to Do After a Hit and Run

You might have a hard time knowing what to do in the immediate aftermath of a hit and run, especially if you are already disoriented by a serious injury. To protect your health and give yourself the best shot at recovering compensation for the harm you suffered, Bence Law Firm LLC recommends that you take the following steps if you are involved in a hit and run accident in Alabama:

Remain at the scene and call 911.
File a police report for your accident, providing as many details as you can about the driver and vehicle that hit you.
Get copies of the police report created about the accident.
Seek prompt medical attention for your injuries, even if you do not think you were hurt, since you may have sustained internal trauma that could worsen over time.
Hold on to all relevant medical records and follow any treatment plans prescribed by your doctor.
Write down everything you can remember about the accident as soon as possible while the details are still fresh in your memory.
Keep a journal of how the accident and your injuries have impacted your life. This journal will help support your claims that you suffered as a result of the hit and run.
Stay off social media. Any pictures or updates you post may be interpreted in ways that may hinder any claim you may have.
Contact an experienced hit and run accident lawyer in Phenix City for a free consultation.

What to do at the Scene of a Hit and Run Accident

It’s important to take photos of anything that could be potentially valuable during the claims process. At the very least, our law firm recommends taking photos of:

Damage to vehicles. If you are filing a claim for property damage, having proof of how severely your vehicle was damaged is important. What’s more, damage to vehicles can offer insight as to how an accident occurred. Make sure to take photos of both the interior and the exterior of all vehicles involved, if possible.
Vehicle positioning. If it is safe to do so, do not move your vehicle immediately after a crash. Instead, snap a few photos first. Vehicle positioning is one of the best ways to be able to determine how an accident occurred, especially when analyzed by a vehicle reconstruction expert.
Signage and traffic signals. Taking photos of signage and traffic signals in the area surrounding the crash can offer insight as to whether any traffic laws were broken. For example, is there evidence showing that a vehicle should have yielded, as a stop sign just a few feet away?
Skid marks. Skid marks show that a vehicle braked unexpectedly, and, likely, without warning. This can be indicative of an attempt to avoid an accident. Long skid marks may indicate that a vehicle was traveling faster than the speed limit.
Weather and road conditions. Sometimes, poor weather or poor road conditions can contribute to an accident. While drivers are not excused from liability when an accident occurs in poor weather, any clues about what caused the accident can contribute to an accident investigation.
Injuries. If you suffered any injuries in the car accident, you should thoroughly document these injuries, which includes taking photos of the injuries. It’s important to take photos throughout the recovery process, too, following a motor vehicle crash in Phenix city. This is because you will need to present evidence of your injuries to the insurance adjuster, as well as how the injuries have affected your life. Photos are one of the best ways to highlight the severity of injury, as well as pain and degree of disability, too.

Tips for Taking Photos

As you take photos of the accident, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Take as many photos as possible. Don’t limit yourself to photos of just the vehicles or just your injuries. Even if a photo doesn’t seem necessary at first, it may prove useful at a later date. With cell phone cameras and digital cameras, there really is no reason to be stingy with the number of pictures you take.
Take photos from different angles. The more photos you have, the more complete of a story those photos will tell.
Make sure photos contain a time and date stamp. While this isn’t as important, it can be useful to have documentation of exactly when the accident happened and proof that you are taking photos related to that accident. Digital photos usually come with a time and date stamp.

Discuss the Importance of Photos Following A Phenix City Car Accident with an Attorney

Your injuries may preclude you from being able to take photos of an accident scene, damages, and your injuries. Fortunately, if you are unable to document your accident on your own, our lawyer from the Bence Law Firm LLC can help you.

Attorney David Bence is a skilled car accident attorney who knows how to gather evidence to prove your claim and pursue the compensation award you deserve. When you call the Bence Law Firm LLC, we can start working on your claim immediately.

Request a free consultation with the Bence Law Firm LLC today to learn more about the importance of photos after a Phenix City car wreck.