A Florida car accident case can spiral out of control faster than you realize. If you are somehow involved in an automobile accident, every next step that you take is extremely crucial. Mostly, the legal system stays out of the lives of a few fortunate individuals. But this lack of familiarity with the system has a downside that includes that people find it difficult to collect the evidence in order to back their claim. It is always for you to hire a qualified personal injury lawyer to get fair compensation for your Florida car accident case.
The most vital part of a car accident lawsuit is witness statements. The statement might be written or recorded. Either way, the statement can easily prove that the other party was guilty of the accident.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the car crash statistics for 2018 include the following; There were 401,851 crashes in the state of Florida of which 3,150 were fatal accidents. Around 8,706 motorcycle accidents occurred resulting in 148 deaths and 9,307 accidents involving pedestrians.
Who Can Be An Eyewitness in a Florida Car Accident Case?
The people who are present there at the time of the event are known as eyewitnesses. They can explain what happened, how it happened, and what the aftermath was. These people include:
- Passers-by
- People in nearby houses
- Anyone who has stopped to help
- Drivers of other vehicles
- Car passengers
- People in a nearby business
The financial outcome of a Florida car accident case might have the ability to make the individuals involved produce unreliable witness statements. Therefore, the passengers or drivers of either one of the vehicles might not be deemed, reliable eyewitnesses.
Gathering Information on Witnesses:
After being involved in an accident, you should get to a place of safety as soon as possible, and get medical assistance immediately. The next important step is to gather all the information about the accident including the information about the eyewitnesses. It is essential to collate all the evidence immediately but if you are not feeling well at the moment, you may defer this step and reschedule at a later date.
How Witness Statements Can Support Your Florida Car Accident Case:
If you want to get compensated for the damages of your vehicle or the injury that you suffered because of a car collision, you must have rock-solid proof against the other party. If you want to hold the other party responsible for the crash, a third-party witness statement is the strongest form of evidence.
Anyone can be considered as a witness but the most credible witnesses are the people whose interests are not vested in the outcome of the case.
Some of the main witness statements that can support your claim are:
Prove Your Side of the Event:
The witnesses can assist in identifying the real culprit for the accident. The testimony of the eyewitness can prove the details about the accident illustrate how the accident happened and help preserve all the facts regarding the case.
Promote Settlements:
Settlements can also be promoted due to the witness statements. Each driver will have their own story about the accident, but the statement of the third party about what happened at the time of collision will be unbiased and can be more helpful for insurance companies for putting the thing to bed.
Use at Trial:
Statements from the eyewitnesses can help you prove during the trial that you were not guilty of the collision. There might be a chance that the witness might not be available during the trial. In this case, the statements that were provided can also prove the other driver caused the accident, as such statements are admissible in court.
Even though personal injury cases are resolved before the involvement of court but if it goes to the court the statements can be used in several ways under Florida Rules of Evidence.
Undermining the Credibility of Conflicting Testimony:
If the defendant has strong points, the eyewitness’s testimony may undermine their credibility. The eyewitness can do this by highlighting any inconsistency in their statement or questioning the quality of their character.
Contact a Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer for a Free and Confidential Consultation:
Working with an experienced lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve. A good lawyer will help you overcome the defendant’s counter-arguments.
You can either call us or you can submit an online case review form to connect with our attorney regarding a Florida car accident case for a free and confidential consultation.