If you’ve been in a car accident in an at-fault state like Georgia, the situation can be confusing and chaotic. Amid all the chaos, every detail still matters, particularly accounts from people who saw how the accident went down.
Witnesses, in the context of motor vehicle crashes, can be a priceless resource who can shed light on the events leading up to accidents. Their memories, observations, and testimonies in court can create a detailed, unbiased account of how things unfolded during the incident. Car accident witnesses can back up your story or even shed new light on aspects of the crash that you may not have noticed.
However, finding witnesses, approaching them, and gathering information from them isn’t easy, especially if you are injured in an accident. There is an art to it, and that’s why you should consider hiring an experienced Atlanta car accident lawyer to help you locate and interview witnesses. This can significantly boost your personal injury claim by helping to establish liability and ensuring you recover damages after an accident.
But first, let’s delve into the types of witnesses in the context of Georgia car accidents and their importance.
What Are the Different Types of Car Accident Witnesses?
While you are a key witness in an auto accident case, a judge or jury may perceive your accounts of the events as somewhat biased simply because of your direct interests in the verdict of your case. Having credible witnesses to back your testimony can be quite valuable to corroborating details crucial to you collecting damages after the accident.
Car accident witnesses in Georgia can be generally categorized as lay witnesses and expert witnesses. Lay witnesses are regular individuals who can testify regarding what they saw or experienced, while expert witnesses are professionals with specialized training and knowledge applicable to your case.
First-Party Witnesses
These are individuals who have firsthand experience of the car crash, such as drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. If you are filing a car accident lawsuit in Georgia, you are a first-party witness to the crash, and so is the defendant. First-party witnesses typically have a stake in the outcome of such cases.
Third-Party Witnesses
These individuals offer valuable insights into car crashes since they have no personal connection to the parties involved in the accident or any financial interests in the case. Third-party witnesses include bystanders at the scene of the accident, customers and employees in establishments where the accident occurred, or drivers uninvolved in the accident.
A third-party witness may also be someone who has relevant information about the accident but who may not have since it happened. For example, a bar patron may provide relevant details about how a driver consumed alcohol before the accident.
Expert Witnesses
Expert witnesses are people knowledgeable in a particular field due to their education, knowledge, skill, training, and experience. If you hire an expert witness, you can convince the insurance company of the value of your car accident claim or prove your case during trial. Common experts that a car accident attorney can consult include:
- Medical experts: They can give testimonies on a victim’s injury, its extent and severity, the treatments needed, and the prognosis for recovery.
- Accident reconstruction experts: If the cause of the car accident is in question, these experts can prove the defendant’s negligence by analyzing the accident scene, videos and photos from the scene, property damage, and other pieces of evidence to recreate the moments leading to the crash.
- Rehabilitation specialists: Occupational, physical, and vocational specialists can shed light on how your injuries may limit your physical abilities and whether you may be able to return to work.
- Economists: If you are permanently disabled, miss work, or need future medical care, an economist can come in handy when calculating your losses. They can also determine the value of your future earning capacity if you can’t work at all or if you need a career change.
- Engineers: If a road defect led to your car wreck, you could require the help of an engineer with knowledge of Georgia’s and federal guidelines on roadway design to prove whether a city, county, state, or federal agency is liable for your accident.
If you were injured in a car crash, an experienced car wreck attorney can determine the experts you need to build a compelling case that proves the defendant’s fault.
How Can Car Accident Witnesses Help You?
When you file a car insurance claim in Georgia, one of the questions claims adjusters will ask is whether anyone other than you and the other driver witnessed the crash. Regardless of whether the car accident witnesses see the beginning or end of the wreck, these individuals may provide invaluable insights and assistance in car accident claims or lawsuits. Here’s how:
Collaborate Accounts
A car accident witness may share details that match the story you’ve provided to the police at the scene. When the insurance company, attorneys, a judge, and a jury review incident reports and realize witness statements mirror your version of what transpired, this can go a long way towards:
- Dismissing conflicting accounts: When parties report similar events after a crash, other accounts detailing different occurrences become easier to refute. Such critical details from car accident witnesses may include:
- Weather conditions
- Traffic conditions
- Road conditions
- Who did what during and after the crash
- Where the crash happened
- Establishing your credibility: After an Atlanta car accident, you can come across as a credible witness when your account matches those of firsthand eyewitnesses. If your details don’t match those of car accident witnesses, insurance adjusters, the judge, and the jury may second-guess what you’ve said.
Establish Fault
Car accident witnesses may see all sorts of things that can reveal what transpired before, during, and after the accident. To that end, they may be able to shed light on potential:
- Motorist misbehaviors, such as texting while driving
- Road rage that may include yelling and excessive honking
- Traffic law violations, such as speeding, failing to yield, and running red lights
- Visible driver impairment, including driving on the wrong lane down one-way streets and sleeping at the wheel
Car accident witnesses in Atlanta can also:
- Describe injuries at the scene of the accident
- Provide a neutral perspective
- Assist law enforcement by offering their accounts at the scene
- Fill in the blanks to paint a clearer picture of the crash
How Do I Find Witnesses for My Car Accident?
Time is of the essence when it comes to locating car accident witnesses in Atlanta, GA. Remember, witnesses may not hang around the scene for long. Getting their names and contact details as soon as possible is crucial. Here are some of the ways you can find witnesses after a car crash:
- Review the traffic crash report
- Review any video footage, including footage from nearby surveillance cameras and dashcams
- Take a close look at photos from the scene of the crash
- Talk to an Atlanta car accident lawyer to help track eyewitnesses and hire the best-fit expert witnesses for your case
What Is the Role of Car Accident Witnesses in Georgia? Call Us To Find Out
Witnesses in car crashes are unsung heroes who can provide invaluable insights to boost personal injury cases. At Fry | Goehring, our car accident attorneys use evidence, including witness statements, to build compelling cases and help injured victims recover maximum compensation for damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact us today at 404-969-1284 if you were involved in a car crash and have trouble locating witnesses. Our top-rated legal team will track down eyewitnesses and hire expert witnesses to build a strong case while you rest and recover. Get started now to book your free case review and discuss your options.
