The Great Value Of Accident Photographs

You were humming along on a bright and sunny day when suddenly Fred Fuddle, a local character from a nearby town, drunk as a skunk and zooming along in his pickup, flew through stop sign crashing into the right front of your motor vehicle. You had no choice to avoid him. Now the time has come to settle your claim for property damage and personal injuries. Let's talk about photographs one of the basics that should have been taking place - - just as soon as possible - - after that impact had taken place.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF INJURIES: Photographs are often the best evidence you can produce to increase the value of your claim. If your accident causes bodily injuries that are visible (such as bruises, deep cuts, swellings, lacerations, dislocations and/or black and blue marks) it's crucial, to the ultimate settlement value of your case, that you have photographs taken of those just as soon as possible! Take them from 3 feet away and also as close as you can so as to capture the seriousness of heir existence. When you hand those to Adjuster I. M. Smart from the Granite Insurance Company believe me when I tell you he'll stare at them and blanch!

Question: "How does Dan know this to be so"?

Answer: "Because for 38 years Dan was there and felt that"!

PHOTOGRAPHS OF BOTH VEHICLES: You should take photographs of the damages to your vehicle from several different angles. If at all possible find the motor vehicle that hit you and take photographs of that damage also. When it comes to proving the impact your body was subjected to (and in many cases to prove who was at fault) those photographs could one day be worth their weight in gold.

HOW TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE: The pictures of each accident scene should be taken from at least three different angles: Snap several of a "general view" of the area from about 20 to 40 feet away; a couple more "medium range" shot's from 10 to 15 feet away, and then some "close up" shot's from 3 to 5 feet away. If it's at all possible all three different distances should have a common point or orientation. If, for example, you're snapping photographs of a skid mark, it should be taken from an angle so as to clearly show were that skid mark is, in relation to a landmark, like a street sign, a building, a fire hydrant, etc. Another photograph should then be taken with a closer view - - one clearly identifying the skid mark in detail - -and also, if possible, include this readily identifiable object or landmark (the street signs, building's, etc.).

Because they're such potent evidence you should blow up those photographs of the skid marks, taken from 3 to 6 feet away, into 8X10 glossies. A total of 12 to 15 photographs of the accident scene and/or the skid marks are not too many. When you hand copies of the 8X10 glossy photograph's of those skid marks to the adjuster, to help justify he payment he'll eventually make to you, it will absolutely increase the value of your claim.

"Why" you ask?

The answer to that one is, "Because it will tell both adjuster Smart and his supervisor (who, in the end, will usually call the shots on how much your settlement dollars should be) that you know what you're doing and you're not the type of individual who can be taken advantage of".

A WORD OF CAUTION: The individual engaged in the task of snapping photograph's of your body, the accident scene, etc., should be careful to make sure they're not undertaking this effort with a casual, hasty or careless attitude - - one that tends to leave it up to do the camera to do the thinking for them. Rather, the photographer ought to carefully consider the process the process slowly and seriously so that the photos produced will produce the maximum value.

If at all possible photos should be taken of the exact location on the road where the impact occurred, and shots of all relevant gouge and/or chop marks on the surface, plus traffic signs, etc., as applicable.

It cannot be emphasized enough that photographs of skid marks are invaluable evidence, since they can often indicate Fuddle's speed at the time of impact and can be a tremendous asset when it comes to establishing fault.

A good practice to follow is to make a brief notation on the backs of all photos, entering upon them a brief account of what the photo is showing, the date it was taken and by whom.

Photographs of injuries, the accident scene and the road surface if done correctly - - is money in the bank !

Copyright (c)2004 By Daniel G. Baldyga

DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this article "THE GREAT VALUE OF ACCIDENT PHOTOGRAPHS" is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga, Peter Go nor ARTICLECITY.COM make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever: NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service, NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL'S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.

All of the information necessary for you to deal with and handle the above issues are spelled out wiithin the contents of Dan Baldyga's third "How To" Insurance Claim book AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss)found on the internet at http://www.caraccidentclaims.com or http://www.autoaccodentclaims.com. This book also contains BASE (The Baldyga Auto Accident Settlement Evaluation Formula). THE BASE FORMULA will tell you exactly how many dollars the "Pain and Suffering" you endured, because of your accident - - are worth!

Copyright (c) 2002 By Dan Baldyga. All Rights Reserved

About The Author

Dan Baldyga is now retired and spends his time writing articles to assist those who are involved in motor vehicle accident claims so they won't be taken advantage of: dbpaw@comcast.net.

---

Mortgage Life Insurance

Owning a home is a dream for most of us,... Read More

Term Life - Who Needs It?

If you've read any of the books or articles by... Read More

General Knowledge - Critical Illness Insurance

Critical illness can happen to anyone, and often does. If... Read More

Converting An Unwanted Life Insurance Policy Into Ca$h

Do You Own A Life Insurance Policy That You No... Read More

Car Insurance Discounts

Trying to save money wherever you can is important to... Read More

Why Bother With Farmers Auto Insurance?

Farmers auto insurance is a very large insurance company that... Read More

Family Health Insurance Plans - How to Find The Best Provider Online

Family health insurance plans typically need to offer more coverage... Read More

Business Insurance; Information you will need

When you start a small business you will need to... Read More

Natures Fury - Time to Check Your Insurance

The communities of Exmouth and Moora in Western Australia don't... Read More

5 Strategies To Reduce Your Car Insurance Premiums

Your latest car insurance bill has arrived and it is... Read More

Individual or Family Health Insurance Options

As more and more individuals working at home with or... Read More

What Do You Mean My Auto Insurance Policy Doesnt Cover This!!

Auto insurance is an agreement between you and your insurance... Read More

Finding Fast Life Insurance

Since the widespread growth of internet usage and database building... Read More

Health Savings Accounts

Most people with health insurance, especially employer paid health insurance,... Read More

Inside-Information Regarding Your Motor Vehicle Accident Insurance Claim

Here's some "Inside-Info" you must know so you won't be... Read More

Discount Insurance - Get Affordable Coverage For All Your Insurance Needs

Insurance is an important part of our lives. If you... Read More

Why Boat Insurance Is A Necessity

Boat insurance is necessary for all boat owners who live... Read More

Health Insurance Options for Entrepreneurs

One of the most important benefits employed people enjoy is... Read More

What Is Homeowners Insurance Coverage?

Before attempting to find the best homeowners insurance coverage you... Read More

Choosing the Best Life Insurance Option for You

Life insurance in the UK is becoming more and more... Read More

Do You Pay Too Much For Your Car Insurance?

Do the premiums just seem to get higher and higher... Read More

Protecting Your Expatriate Family

If you and your family relocate overseas, one of your... Read More

Canadian Funeral Insurance: Our Final Gift to Those We Love

Most of us don't like thinking about our own funerals,... Read More

California Catering Truck Insurance

Catering truck insuranceNot many agents/brokers write catering truck insurance as... Read More

Senior Life Settlement-Uses and Applications

In a recent article in the National Underwriter (April, 2005)... Read More

The Life Insurance Policy and What You Need to Know Before You Buy

Are you looking to buy a life insurance policy? Well,... Read More

Filing An Insurance Claim

Everything seemed pretty simple when you purchased that insurance policy.... Read More

Why Should You Purchase Your Auto Insurance Online?

If you're interested in slashing your auto insurance bill in... Read More

Insure Your House

When we talk about insurance the thing you have to... Read More

Affordable Health Insurance - Health Insurance For The Self Employed

One of the things that is important to consider when... Read More

What To Do When You Suffer An Injury On The Job?

For over 30 years I have been representing injured workers... Read More

Health Insurance 101 for Individuals and Families

The changing healthcare and health insurance landscape in the United... Read More

Tips On How To Save When Buying Car Insurance

If you want to save money when you purchase your... Read More