What Evidence do I need in a Car Accident Claim?

The Evidence That Builds a Strong Accident Injury Case

After a car crash, evidence will determine your abililty to recover the compensation you deserve.

While every auto accident case is unique, the evidence in this checklist is what wins cases.

In most cases, accident victims won't have the expertise or authority to gather all the critical evidence necessary to prove their claim.

In the legal system, your version of events means nothing without evidence to back it up.

To secure compensation you'll need to prove the liability of the at fault driver and value of your losses.

This is where your car accident attorney can help.

Our experienced legal team knows exactly what evidence needs to be preserved or obtained in the aftermath of a vehicle accident case.

Let us help you get paid what you deserve.

Evidence Needed to Prove a Car Accident Claim

Securing the compensation you deserve after a car accident will revolve around evidence.

It will be used to establish fault and prove damages, and is a critical component of securing a successful outcome. Gather what you can. Photos, police reports, witness names, medical records. Your lawyer will handle the rest during their investigation.

Typically, the following evidence can prove critical to your auto accident case:

The Police Accident Report

The police report creates an official record of your crash that includes officer observations, preliminary fault determinations, citations issued, and witness information collected at the scene. This document carries significant weight with insurance adjusters because it represents a neutral third-party assessment made immediately after the collision occurred. The report typically documents weather conditions, road hazards, vehicle positions, visible damage, injury complaints, and whether any drivers showed signs of impairment or distraction. Get the report number at the scene and request to obtain the full report within days of the crash to provide your attorney.

Eyewitness Statements and Contact Information

Independent witnesses who saw the collision happen provide corroboration of what happened. Their statements carry extra credibility because they have no financial stake in the outcome. Collect names, phone numbers, and addresses from anyone who stopped at the scene and saw what happened so they can be contacted later. If you are able, ask them to describe what they saw in their own words and record those statements on your phone if possible. Witness memories fade quickly, so your attorney needs to contact them within days while details remain fresh. Passengers in other vehicles, pedestrians, nearby workers, and people in adjacent buildings can all serve as valuable witnesses.

Crash Scene Photographs and Video

Visual documentation freezes the accident scene in time and documents physical evidence before vehicles get moved, debris gets cleared, and conditions change. Take photos from multiple angles showing vehicle damage, skid marks, traffic signals, road conditions, weather factors, sight obstructions, and the broader intersection or roadway context. Photograph license plates, insurance cards, driver's licenses, and registration documents. Take photos of any visible injuries you sustained. Take photos of any details you feel might be relevant or useful for your legal team. It's difficult for an insurance adjuster to spin what happened or downplay your injuries when it's visually documented.

Surveillance Camera Footage

Traffic cameras, business security systems, doorbell cameras, and dashcam recordings can provide irrefutable video proof of exactly how the crash occurred. Clear video capturing what happened is hard to dismiss. A crash at an intersection will likely have traffic cam footage. Crashes in residential areas are often caught by ring cam. Security footage is likely available for a crash if a commercial area. Your legal team will want to act fast to identify and secure any available footage as most systems automatically delete recordings after 30 to 90 days. Walk around the area immediately after the crash to identify cameras on traffic lights, gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants, parking lots, and nearby homes. Experienced car accident injury attorneys know how to quickly subpoena footage before it disappears forever. Video evidence showing the seconds before collision can be critical in shutting down any liability disputes and help you get paid faster.

Complete Medical Records and Treatment Documentation

You need to document your injuries to prove the severity of your injuries when you're hurt. Medical documentation will be used to establish the severity of your injuries and that they were accident-related. Go to the emergency room or urgent care immediately after the crash even if you feel okay. Many serious injuries like whiplash, concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage don't show symptoms for hours or days. Wait too long to seek medical treatment and all you are doing is giving the insurance companies leverage to claim you weren't hurt as bad as you claim, or that your injuries weren't caused by the accident. Keep every medical record, bill, prescription, test result, imaging study, therapy note, and doctor's recommendation. In serious injury cases your medical care plan will be used to help quantify your past and future medical costs. Your medical records will provide guidance on how long it will take to heal and whether there are any permanent impairments.

Vehicle Damage Estimates and Repair Documentation

The condition of your vehicle helps prove the severity of your collision and injury claims. Severe vehicle damage suggests high-impact forces that cause serious injuries. Get multiple repair estimates from certified body shops. Take detailed photos of all damage from every angle before repairs begin. Keep all repair invoices, parts receipts, and rental car bills. If your vehicle is totaled, obtain the insurance company's valuation report and comparable vehicle pricing to challenge lowball offers. The at-fault driver's insurance owes you the full cost to either repair your vehicle to pre-crash condition or replace it with equivalent value.

Accident-Related Bills, Pay Stubs, Receipts.

Document all accident-related losses. Collect pay stubs showing lost wages from being unable to work, employer letters confirming missed work, tax returns demonstrating income loss for self-employed victims, receipts for out-of-pocket expenses like medications and medical equipment, transportation costs for medical appointments, and household service expenses for tasks you can no longer perform. Keep a daily journal documenting pain levels, activity limitations, and how injuries affect your work, hobbies, relationships, and quality of life. This documentation supports both your economic damages and your pain and suffering compensation.

Why Evidence Determines Settlement Value

Alot of times the insurance company knows they have to pay, but will argue you aren't hurt as bad as you say. If they can, they'll dispute the chain of events that led up to the crash and try to shift blame from the at-fault driver to the victim. The point is they fight to only pay what they absolutely must. Strong documentation forces their hand. When you can prove every element of your claim with solid evidence, adjusters lose their negotiating leverage. Missing documentation creates windows of opportunity for them to exploit in order to reduce your payout.

Our goal is to get you paid as much as possible as fast as possible. In our experience, compelling evidence settles cases. Insurance carriers pay what evidence forces them to pay, whether in settlement negotiations or jury verdicts.