What Data Do I Need After a Car Accident in Pennsylvania?
When you have an auto insurance claim after a car accident, there are two things you need to prove in order to recover just compensation: (i) you need to prove who was at fault in the accident, and (ii) you need to prove how much you deserve to recover.
Both of these can require various forms of evidence. When you hire a lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will gather and present this evidence on your behalf. But, if you can bring some key information to the table, this will help your lawyer pursue your claim as efficiently as possible.
10 Key Pieces of Information for Filing a Successful Auto Insurance Claim
With this in mind, here are 10 key pieces of information for filing a successful auto insurance claim after a car accident in Pennsylvania:
1. The Location Where the Accident Happened
You should write down the exact location where the accident happened. If you were able to take photos of the crash site with your phone, you should be sure to keep these as well. Your lawyer will use this information to conduct an on-scene investigation and obtain a copy of the police report (if necessary).
2. Your Copy of the Police Report
If you received a copy of the police report at the crash site, you should be sure to keep this in a safe place (and taking a photo with your phone is a good idea, too). Being able to provide a copy of the police report to your lawyer will save a step in the process.
3. The Other Driver’s Vehicle and Insurance Information
If you have the other driver’s vehicle and insurance information, you should provide this to your lawyer as well. When you report the accident to your insurance company, you should provide the location of the accident and the other driver’s vehicle and insurance information, but you should not provide any other information at this stage.
4. The Names and Contact Information of Any Witnesses
Witnesses can serve as key sources of information in auto insurance claims involving serious injuries. If you were able to obtain the names and contact information of any witnesses, this is key information you will want to share with your lawyer as well.
5. As Many Details as You Can Remember
If you are like most car accident victims, you don’t know exactly what happened—and that’s okay. But you should take some time to write down as many details as you can remember. Road and traffic conditions, traffic signs and signals, direction of travel, and any other details you can record will assist your lawyer in determining what evidence is necessary to prove your legal rights.
6. Any Non-Driver-Related Factors That May Have Played a Role
Was the other driver speeding? Did the other driver run a red light or stop sign? These are key details you will want to share with your lawyer as well.
But, you will also want to discuss any non-driver-related factors that may have played a role in your accident. Did your brakes fail? Did the other driver say his or her brakes failed? Did your airbag fail to deploy, or did your seatbelt fail to protect you? These are issues that could provide additional grounds to seek just compensation.
7. Your Medical Diagnosis
Along with information about your car accident, you will also need to provide your lawyer with information about your medical diagnosis. If you have copies of your medical records (either paper or online), you should bring these to your free initial consultation.
8. The Financial Costs of Your Injuries
Whether you have completed your medical treatment or you are just starting the recovery process, you will need documentation of the financial costs of your injuries. Your lawyer will need this information in order to seek just compensation on your behalf.
9. How Long You Will Be Unable to Work
Your lawyer will need information about your lost earnings in order to seek just compensation on your behalf as well. If your doctor has told you how long you need to stay home—or if your doctor’s current opinion is that you need to stay home indefinitely—this will be critical information for your auto insurance claim.
10. The “Value” of Your Pain, Suffering and Other Non-Financial Losses
Pennsylvania law entitles car accident victims to just compensation for their financial and non-financial losses. While you will need to rely on your lawyer to calculate the “value” of your non-financial losses, you can start documenting these losses (i.e., by keeping a journal) to assist with this process.
Additional Evidence Your Lawyer Can Seek to Collect on Your Behalf
While these are all important pieces of information that you should have available during your free initial consultation (if possible), you will need to rely on your lawyer to collect other forms of evidence on your behalf. These may include things like:
- The other driver’s phone records
- The other driver’s receipts
- The other driver’s employment information
- Forensic evidence from the crash site
- Eye witness statements, photos and videos
- Surveillance or traffic camera footage
- Inspection reports for each vehicle involved in the crash
- Vehicle GPS or telematics (“black box”) data
- Medical and financial expert reports
- Reports and testimony from engineers and other experts
There could be many forms of evidence available—and you could need any or all of these forms of evidence to assert your legal rights effectively. Again, the more information you can provide your lawyer, the better. Ultimately, however, the most important thing is that you speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
Discuss Your Case with a Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer for Free
Do you need help protecting your legal rights after a car accident in Pennsylvania? If so, we encourage you to contact us promptly. With offices in Allentown, Bethlehem, Doylestown, Easton and Stroudsburg, we handle auto insurance claims statewide. For a free, no-obligation consultation, call 888-777-7098 or tell us how we can reach you online now.