When proving liability in a car accident claim, witnesses are integral to the case. If people witnessed your accident, you may be able to obtain their contact details at the accident scene or from the incident report.

When hiring a Nevada attorney, this professional will ask witnesses pertinent questions to help the insurance adjuster or the court to better understand the facts on how the accident occurred.

Questioning Witnesses of Car Accidents 

A reputable and skilled Las Vegas law firm like Friedman Injury Law will remind witnesses through savvy question phrasing to use their own words with their answers to avoid parroting the police report details. Consider these important and common questions often posed of witnesses.

How did the accident occur

The attorney will address this question in an open-ended fashion to enable the witness to provide details that are fresh and clear in their mind, their own observations. This response will lead the attorney through follow-up questions that may help fill in any gaps from their version of the story.

What led you to believe that an accident was about to happen

This is an essential question because it shows that the witness was paying attention when they recognized that there was a problem.

If the first impression was that an accident had occurred based on the sound of an impact, they would be less inclined to relay the motorists’ actions leading up to the incident.

Your location relating to the accident

Different witnesses will provide details relating to the accident from various vantage points. Your attorney will establish how close each was when it occurred, as this will confirm the type of detail the witnesses can offer.

Those that were mere feet away will understandably have the greatest observations than someone a further distance and can be valuable to the case.

How many details can you provide relating to how the accident happened

Your lawyer will press witnesses about their knowledge regarding the at-fault motorist’s actions; this is at the crux of proving your claim. Common follow-up questions used to gather as much detail as possible includes:

• What were you doing before the accident: This reveals if the witness had their focus on the incident as is progressed or was distracted during the course of events.
• The lane position of the vehicles: A quality attorney will use these details to reconstruct the accident for a better understanding of how it happened.
• The speed each vehicle was traveling:  The attorney doesn’t expect witnesses to have an exact account of the motorists’ speed, but there should be an indication if the at-fault driver was weaving in and out of lanes or being erratic. This knowledge can be helpful in showing liability.
• Were you paying attention to traffic signals immediately prior to the accident:  The law firm will question this to find out if one of the motorists ran the signal as well as other questions indicating a potential traffic infraction on either drivers’ part. Perhaps, someone made an illegal U-turn before the incident.
• What were the scene condition: Your attorney will need to know the weather and traffic conditions at the time of the accident. Inclement weather can create slippery road conditions or brilliant sun glare, leading to poor visibility and the potential for a crash. This can also affect what witness can clearly see.

Your attorney will likely ask witnesses about their experience with vehicles, accident reconstruction, or specific expertise in weather and road conditions.

Experiencing accident factors like these can result in a more detailed observation. Visit – What To Do If You Witness A Car Accident | GEICO Living – what to do if you witness a car accident.

• Multiple witnesses: Having witnesses capable of corroborating your story about how the accident occurred is valuable when trying to prove your case.  What is better than a single witness is multiple witnesses.

If you had passengers with you when the accident occurred, your attorney will take everyone’s contact details and take their account of how the accident occurred.

Eyewitnesses are individuals present at the accident scene; they observe the course of events as they progress. Witness accounts provide critical details of how the incident occurred, offering a first-hand perspective that’s invaluable as an experienced Las Vegas accident attorney tries to establish fault.

Final Thought

Courts will rely on eyewitnesses to provide testimony that can sway the outcome of an auto accident case. Their account of the course of events from how the incident happened and progressed can be instrumental in establishing liability and aiding in pursuing compensation.

A quality and skilled accident attorney knows how to present the witness testimony to strengthen your claim and build a strong case.

Go here for guidance on navigating a car accident claim in Las Vegas. By gathering these statements early and using them strategically, these professionals help secure the most favorable outcome.