Accident Witnesses May Offer To Give An Account

There are many things that can help strengthen a Louisiana personal injury claim. Witness accounts are one of them. When a person who witnessed your accident is willing to share what they saw and give an account of another’s negligence, it can be incredibly helpful. A third party viewpoint can be valuable because insurance companies and courts may view them as neutral parties.

In many cases it is best to gather witness accounts as soon as possible. After all, recollections are fresh and it can be easier to connect with individuals who saw the crash, either because they were pedestrian, within nearby businesses, or riding in another vehicle.

When you connect with a Shreveport injury lawyer, they can assess your situation and let you know if a witness account would be helpful.

Record Names and Contact Information

There are times when witnesses do not have to be asked as they simply come forward and offer to give a statement. If this has happened to you, be sure to gather their witness account and their name and contact information. Having their contact information is important so that a lawyer can follow up later if needed, to validate the statement or collect more information about the event.

Of course, credibility is important. The value of a witness account is in the insurance company or court seeing the person as a neutral party. If a witness is not deemed to be trustworthy, their account of the event will not be taken into consideration.

There are many reasons a witness will not be viewed as credible, they include one or more of the following:

• A person has given more than one account of the event and different accounts supply conflicting information.
• The witness either states they were distracted or there is a reason to believe they could not have been paying attention.
• There is a personal interest, such as a financial gain, for the witness if the accident is determined to be the fault of one party or the other.
• History of telling stories or lying.

If there is more than one witness, things can be complicated as well. For example, if one person states they saw a driver blow through a stop sign but another witness says they saw the same car come to a full stop. Research may be needed to get to the truth of the matter.

A Shreveport injury lawyer has experience talking to witnesses and gathering the documentation needed to strengthen a Louisiana personal injury claim. Witness accounts aren’t always necessary or possible, but sometimes they are helpful.

Did a witness offer to give you an account of the wreck after your car accident? The personal injury lawyers at Rice & Kendig can negotiate with an insurance company for you. We truly care about our clients and devote our knowledge, skills and resources toward securing a great result every time. You do not need to navigate complicated negotiations on your own. Together, we can achieve success. Contact us today at 318-222-2772 to schedule your free consultation.