After a car crash, you may know what happened from your own perspective, but the other driver or an insurance company may tell a different story. When accounts conflict, evidence can help establish what happened and who caused the crash. Texas law also requires certain investigated crashes involving an injury, death or sufficient property damage to receive a written officer’s report.
Here are the types of evidence that can help support your account.
Police crash reports
A police report can provide useful information about how the collision occurred, including the officer’s observations and statements from people involved or witnesses. Texas law requires an investigating officer to prepare a written report for qualifying crashes involving injury, death or at least $1,000 in apparent property damage.
The report does not automatically determine who holds legal responsibility. However, the investigating officer is trained to examine the crash scene, document relevant evidence and ask questions that can help piece together what happened in a more objective way.
Photos and videos
Photos and videos can preserve details that may later help establish how the crash happened and how severe the impact was. If you can safely document the scene, capture:
- Damage to the vehicles
- The position of the vehicles
- Road conditions and traffic signs
- Visible injuries
- Dashcam or nearby surveillance footage
If your injuries or the circumstances of the crash prevent you from gathering this evidence yourself, ask someone you trust to photograph the scene or look for nearby cameras before the footage gets overwritten. For example, a photo showing where the vehicles ended up may support your account of the collision, while images of the wreck can help show the force of the impact.
Witness statements
People who saw the crash can provide an independent account of what happened. A witness may have seen which vehicle entered an intersection first, changed lanes or failed to stop.
If someone witnessed the collision, try to obtain their contact information so their account can be preserved.
Vehicle and physical evidence
Damage patterns and other physical evidence can help explain how the collision occurred. Skid marks, debris and the location of vehicle damage may provide useful information when the drivers give different accounts.
Traffic violations and citations
A traffic citation can provide evidence that the other driver violated a traffic law related to the crash. For example, a citation for running a red light, speeding or failing to yield may support your account of how the collision occurred.
However, receiving a citation does not automatically settle who holds legal responsibility for your injuries. It can instead serve as one piece of evidence alongside the crash report, witness accounts, photos and other information about the collision.
Strengthen your case with the right evidence
Before filing a personal injury claim, gather the evidence you have and consider having an attorney review it with you. They can help you determine whether the available records support your account of the crash, identify gaps that may need further investigation and explain how that evidence could affect your claim. Taking those steps early can also help preserve information that may become harder to obtain later.