What Your Personal Injury Lawyer Wishes You’d Document After a Crash

Moments after a car accident are chaotic, emotional, and confusing. But they’re also when the most valuable evidence can be lost – or preserved. While your first concern should always be safety, what you do (and don’t do) next can make or break your personal injury case.

At DK Law, we’ve seen how simple documentation – photos, names, dates – can make the difference between a denied claim and a six-figure settlement. Here’s what we wish every client knew to document immediately after a crash.

 

1. Photos of the Entire Scene (Not Just the Damage)

When adrenaline is high after a crash, it’s easy to snap a few quick photos of your car and call it a day. But for your attorney, broader context is critical. The entire scene can reveal valuable details about fault, road conditions, and other contributing factors. 

Make sure to capture: 

• All vehicles involved (multiple angles)
• License plates and VINs
• Traffic signals and skid marks
• Road signs or obstructions
• Nearby businesses (possible security cams)

Tip: Photograph from multiple angles and distances — wide, medium, and close-up — to ensure every relevant detail is documented

 

2. Your Injuries – ASAP

Injuries aren’t always immediately obvious, and insurance companies often use that against you. Starting a visual record of any injuries as soon as possible helps prove their severity and link them clearly to the accident. Even if you feel fine, start documenting visible injuries right away:

• Bruises, cuts, swelling
• Neck braces, slings, or mobility aids
• Later: photos of scars or long-term effects

These visuals create a time-stamped injury record that can combat insurance disputes.

 

3. Names, Numbers, and Statements (from Witnesses)

Witnesses can make or break a case, but they can also disappear fast. Securing their contact information and a brief statement at the scene ensures you have unbiased support for your version of events. 

• Ask for names and contact info
• Write down or voice record what they saw
• Get multiple perspectives if possible

Witnesses can validate your side and challenge false narratives from the at-fault driver.

 

4. Police Report Info

A police report carries weight with insurers and courts. But don’t rely on the report alone — details like officer names and driver statements can offer key insights and protect your interests.

You’ll get a report number, but make sure to also note:

• Officer names and badge numbers
• Jurisdiction (city, CHP, county)
• Statements made by other drivers

If police didn’t arrive, file a report at your local station or through the DMV site ASAP.

 

5. App Data, Dashcams, or Ride Receipts

Your smartphone and apps can hold powerful proof of where you were and what happened. Digital records often fill in gaps that photos and memory can’t — don’t overlook them.

Your phone might hold the best evidence:

• Screenshots of Uber/Lyft rides
• Dashcam footage
• Texts from the other driver or employer
• App timestamps or routes

These can prove location, timing, usage, and help when liability is contested.

 

6. The Other Driver’s Insurance & Registration

Exchanging information is legally required after an accident — but don’t just jot it down. Photographing documents ensures accuracy and prevents later disputes about what was shared. 

Always get photos of:

• Insurance card (front and back)
• Driver’s license
• Vehicle registration

Don’t rely on them to email or text you later – capture it all on the spot.

 

7. A Personal Crash Journal (Start Day 1)

Pain fades from memory, but written records don’t. Starting a crash journal helps you track symptoms, appointments, and emotional impact — building a more complete and persuasive injury claim. 

Here’s what to write in a journal: 

• What hurts (and when)
• Appointments, symptoms, and treatments
• Emotional impact

This humanizes your claim and shows a record of real suffering, not just bills.

 

Why This Matters More Than You Think

Insurance companies don’t win with truth – they win with documentation. By gathering the right details early, you put power back in your hands and give your legal team the ammunition they need to fight back.

At DK Law, we use these details every day to get clients the outcomes they deserve. Don’t wait to get it right – start documenting smart from the start.

The post What Your Personal Injury Lawyer Wishes You’d Document After a Crash appeared first on Car Accident Lawyer Daniel Kim - Personal Injury Attorney in California.