Five Tips For Taking Accident Scene Photos
After a Florida car accident, it is advisable to take pictures, especially if you are planning to pursue compensation from an at-fault party because pictures can be used as evidence. As much as it might be cliché, the truth is that a photo is worth a thousand words. Taking photographs after an accident can help you prove what or who caused an accident. Pictures taken after an accident can also help you prove your injuries and their severity and/or property damage.
Below are five tips for taking accident scene photos.
Any Camera Will Do
Generally, any device that takes pictures can take accident scene photos. After a car accident, you want to take photos you can use as evidence and not photos you can use to win an award. So, if you don’t have a camera but have a camera-enabled phone, use that to take accident scene photos.
Capture More Than You Think You’ll Need
The more photos you take after your accident, the better. Remember, there is no such thing as too many pictures. It is better for you to take many photographs and delete those you don’t need later after meeting with your attorney.
When it comes to deleting accident scene photos, it is crucial that you avoid deleting photos before meeting with your attorney. Only an attorney can tell you with certainty that a certain picture cannot be used as evidence in your case.
Take Pictures From Different Distances and Angles
When taking accident scene photos, it is best to capture images from at least three different angles and distances. Usually, when taking pictures, you can take close-ups, medium distance photos, and long-distance photos. After an accident, you can take close-ups from a distance of between one to five feet from the subject. Medium distance photos are best taken from 8 to 12 feet away. Lastly, long-distance pictures can be taken from 15 or more feet away.
We commonly receive photos taken too closely to the vehicle. Perspective of the total damage is oftentimes better than a “close-up” of the damage (i.e. dent).
It is crucial that when you are taking pictures, you include a common landmark in all photographs to demonstrate scale and distance.
Remember Time and Date
Fortunately, if you use a digital phone or camera, you might not have to worry about manually timestamping your photographs. Nevertheless, it is crucial that you confirm the correctness of the date and time displayed on your phone or camera before you begin taking accident scene photos.
Avoid Editing Pictures
In this day and age, people are used to editing photos. Often, you’ll find people applying filters or cropping their pictures before posting on social media. When dealing with accident scene photos, it is crucial that you avoid any form of editing because editing can change an otherwise accurate representation of important details.
Contact a Delray Beach Car Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been in a Florida car accident that you believe was another party’s fault, it is crucial that you not only preserve evidence but also consult a qualified Florida car accident attorney to discuss your legal options.
Contact one of our Delray Beach car accident lawyers at Lyons & Snyder Trial Attorneys to speak about your case. Under Florida law, accident victims have limited time to make claims against at-fault parties, so contact us today!
Resource:
flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/crash-dashboard/
