As you develop a case for your car accident claim, you should never devalue the importance of witness statements. In many instances, a witness statement is what will ultimately turn the case in your favor. Without added testimony, the entire case could hinge on your word against the word of the defendant. For this reason, witness testimonies are crucial to your claim.
Witnesses see what happens in an accident, and are often the first people to speak to affected parties. In some cases, witnesses are there to offer assistance before law enforcement and ambulances arrive. The witness can attest to the temperament of all parties to the accident and can often lend credible information that will decide a case. The following are some valuable components witness testimony can add to a car accident case.
Witness Testimony Lends Extra Credibility
A witness statement is considered third-party evidence that corroborates an account of a car accident. When you choose someone to offer witness testimony, you should choose someone who had no part in the actual accident. A witness should be an impartial person who can lend unbiased information to help prove the case.
Witness Testimony Adds Information
When you are involved in a car accident, you cannot objectively see the entire scene and aftermath of the accident yourself. There is also a possibility that you may not have memory of the entire event, whether you suffered an injury that prevents you from remembering all parts of the accident or you were too distracted to pay attention to all of the details.
If you do not know some of the crucial details of the accident, a witness can provide them during a testimony. These details can be the key to winning a personal injury case.
Witness Testimony Can Help Establish Fault
If the car accident case boils down to one person’s word against the other’s, a witness can enter the case and provide testimony that can essentially break the tie. A witness can testify that one driver was speeding, ran a red light, was on the phone, or they can provide any information that can help prove negligence and ultimately determine who is at fault for the accident.
Witness Testimony May Prove Fault
Because a witness is on-scene after an accident, a witness may hear the other driver make a statement that can prove the driver was at fault. If the witness hears the other driver continually apologize or take responsibility for the accident, this is a clear way to establish fault for the accident.
The establishment of fault is a huge part of a car accident claim. If the witness can provide testimony that they heard the other party claim fault, the case will likely quickly turn in your favor and you will likely win your claim and receive specified damages.
The goal in these claims is to get through them with straightforward evidence and ease so that everyone can move on after the fact. When you have a solid witness testify on your behalf, you will find the case can settle faster.
One thing to remember is the other driver may also have witness testimony that contradicts that of your witness. This is the point in which the jury or judge has to decide which witness is correct or is more credible. Be sure to only work with witnesses who seem credible and those who have nothing to gain by providing their testimony.
If you have any questions about witnesses for your car accident case, please contact us at Shaevitz & Shaevitz Law Offices right away. We handle personal injury and motor vehicle accident cases. Schedule a free consultation with our Queens injury lawyers today.
