The Role of Evidence in Car Accident Lawsuits

When another driver makes an error behind the wheel and hits you, leaving you with injuries, you might believe determining fault in the crash is simply a matter of applying common sense. Unfortunately, when large monetary payouts are on the line for the insurance company representing the other driver, common sense might not be part of the equation. The insurance company may try to say its driver actually did not do anything wrong, disputing your explanation of how the accident occurred. When this happens, you need to produce evidence in a car accident lawsuit that shows why the other driver is at fault.

Although this can be difficult for you to do on your own – especially when you’re also trying to recover from injuries suffered in the crash – you can receive key help by hiring our St. Paul car accident attorneys to represent you. We have experience doing these kinds of investigations that prove fault in car accidents, helping our clients attempt to maximize their financial awards from the accident. Learn more about why collecting evidence in a car accident lawsuit is essential.

Why Evidence Is Important to Win a Financial Award After a Car Accident That Wasn’t Your Fault

Insurance companies frequently choose to fight car accident insurance claims when the financial award could be significant. One of the ways they fight having to pay a claim is through arguing against the evidence in a car accident lawsuit. They might present evidence that tries to show you are at fault instead of their driver, even evidence from questionable sources.

Why does evidence in a car accident lawsuit matter? To win a claim, you must prove fault in the car accident. Fault means that the other driver behaved negligently to cause the crash and your injuries. Had the other driver chosen to take different actions or behaved differently, the accident would not have occurred. Without proving negligence in a car crash, you won’t be able to win a financial award from the other driver’s insurance company.

You need someone on your side who will present truthful evidence to prove fault in the car accident. That’s why hiring car accident attorneys as soon as possible is helpful for injury victims. Lawyers have the skill and experience to try to show who is at fault in the crash. They’ll do an investigation to collect evidence that proves your side of the story. With enough evidence in the car accident lawsuit on your side and with your attorneys presenting it to the insurance company in a convincing way, the insurer may have no choice but to agree that your testimony about the crash is accurate, leaving the other driver liable for your injuries.

How Do Attorneys Collect Evidence About the Accident?

Many different items can be evidence in a car accident lawsuit. Using all of these items can be essential in proving fault in a car accident and winning a financial award for your injuries.

The Police Accident Report

When accidents involve significant damage or injuries, police officers will visit the site and create a report about what happened. The evidence that the police collect will duplicate many of the other types of evidence on this list. However, in a car accident lawsuit, both parties’ lawyers and the court system are likely to put more weight on the evidence in the police report because the police represent a neutral third party.

You should review the police report with your attorneys as soon as possible. If you believe any of the information is incorrect or misleading, let your lawyers know immediately. They can ask the police to correct the report, or they can try to collect other evidence that shows why the report is incorrect.

The Drivers’ Testimony

One of the most important pieces of evidence after a car accident is what the drivers of the vehicles involved have to say. If one driver admits fault, this becomes a key piece of evidence in a lawsuit.

It’s more common for neither driver to admit fault – and this is what your attorneys would advise you to do. Let the police and lawyers sort out what exactly happened in the crash, using the evidence to determine fault. In the chaos after the accident, you might think you’re at fault. However, the evidence might show you did not do anything wrong. You should never admit fault right after the crash.

Any Witness Testimony

Anyone who witnessed the accident may provide testimony about what they saw. This is important testimony and evidence because it provides a different perspective than what the drivers may say in their testimony. Witnesses could be bystanders who saw the accident or passengers in the vehicles. Not all accidents have these kinds of witnesses, though.

Your Medical Doctor’s Testimony

To seek a financial award for your injuries suffered in the crash, you will have to visit a doctor for treatment. Your doctor may need to provide testimony about the severity of your injuries, how they might affect your life in the future, and whether they are consistent with a motor vehicle accident. This evidence can be vital if the insurance company is trying to argue that your injuries happened somewhere else or that you are exaggerating the hardships your injuries are causing for you.

Your doctors might not give an actual deposition with the lawyers. Instead, your lawyers might refer to notes the doctors made in your medical report for the evidence they need.

Any Digital Evidence

If your car or the other car had a dash camera, this video can be important evidence to prove fault in a car accident. If the accident occurred near homes or businesses that have surveillance cameras, your lawyers might try to obtain this video to provide evidence. Traffic cameras may also provide key video evidence that shows you are telling the truth.

Photos of the accident scene or the damage to your vehicle can prove that the crash could only have occurred in the manner that you described.

Some drivers might have a safe-driving app or a diagnostic tool inside the vehicle that shows speed and application of the brakes. This can be important evidence to show who is at fault.

Contact Tyroler Leonard Injury Law for Help to Prove Fault in a Car Accident and Seek a Financial Claim

Our team at Tyroler Leonard Injury Law knows how to use evidence to counteract the claims of the insurance company regarding fault. We do not back down when insurance companies are being untruthful about the evidence. Don’t let the insurance company frustrate you by questioning every piece of evidence and your account of the circumstances in the crash. Instead, let our Minneapolis car accident attorneys handle the insurance company and lawsuit for you, leaving you time to focus on your health. For a free case review, call us today at (651) 259-1113.

Attorney Isaac Tyroler

Attorney Isaac Tyroler has been a strong advocate for injured people his entire legal career. He has a passion for righting wrongs, and he deeply cares about representing injured clients who may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about how to navigate the legal system. He is compassionate toward clients and aggressive with insurance companies and defendants. He is on the elected Board of Governors of the Minnesota Association of Justice (MAJ), the top personal injury lawyers’ group in Minnesota. And is currently the chair of MAJ’s legislative committee. [ Attorney Bio ]