If you've been injured in a car accident, it's not enough to show that you were in an accident and provide your medical bills. To win your case, you have to prove that the other driver caused the accident so that you can sue them or the insurance company. The damage done to each car can help you prove your case. Here's how:
Speed
Accidents caused by speeding are tricky because the fault can flip from what you might expect at first look. For example, if someone pulls out of a driveway into someone's path, they are usually at fault. However, if someone looks carefully before pulling out and can't possibly see a speeding driver coming around a blind curve at twice the posted speed limit, the speeding driver is to blame. That type of accident is the exact reason why the speed limit would be lower in that area.
The amount and type of damage can help show how fast a car was going. Simply put, a car going faster is going to cause a lot more damage. Bigger and deeper dents are a clear sign of speeding.
Position of Damage
The position of the damage is another telling factor that your car accident lawyer can use to prove your case. For example, one driver might say the other cut them off. The other driver might say they were in the lane the entire time and the other driver rear-ended them. When someone cuts someone off, the damage is more often to one side of each car since they come in at an angle. If the damage is across the entire bumpers, it's more likely that one driver just didn't stop in time.
Fallen Parts
One thing that makes accident investigations hard is that drivers are supposed to move their cars out of the road when possible both for their safety and to open up traffic again. This means the police officer can't record exactly how the vehicles were positioned.
In many accidents, a bumper or other debris may come off of the cars and get left in the road. The direction these items lay in can help show how each car was moving and how long it took them to stop. Since other cars may hit and move the debris, it's a good idea to take pictures as quickly as possible if you're able to, in order to preserve the evidence.
To learn more about working with a car accident lawyer to prove your case, contact a local law firm.
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