The Great Value Of Accident Photographs
|
You were humming along on a bright and sunny day when suddenly Fred Fuddle, a local character from a nearby town, drunk as a skunk and zooming along in his pickup, flew through stop sign crashing into the right front of your motor vehicle. You had no choice to avoid him. Now the time has come to settle your claim for property damage and personal injuries. Let's talk about photographs one of the basics that should have been taking place - - just as soon as possible - - after that impact had taken place.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF INJURIES: Photographs are often the best evidence you can produce to increase the value of your claim. If your accident causes bodily injuries that are visible (such as bruises, deep cuts, swellings, lacerations, dislocations and/or black and blue marks) it's crucial, to the ultimate settlement value of your case, that you have photographs taken of those just as soon as possible! Take them from 3 feet away and also as close as you can so as to capture the seriousness of heir existence. When you hand those to Adjuster I. M. Smart from the Granite Insurance Company believe me when I tell you he'll stare at them and blanch!
Question: "How does Dan know this to be so"?
Answer: "Because for 38 years Dan was there and felt that"!
PHOTOGRAPHS OF BOTH VEHICLES: You should take photographs of the damages to your vehicle from several different angles. If at all possible find the motor vehicle that hit you and take photographs of that damage also. When it comes to proving the impact your body was subjected to (and in many cases to prove who was at fault) those photographs could one day be worth their weight in gold.
HOW TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE: The pictures of each accident scene should be taken from at least three different angles: Snap several of a "general view" of the area from about 20 to 40 feet away; a couple more "medium range" shot's from 10 to 15 feet away, and then some "close up" shot's from 3 to 5 feet away. If it's at all possible all three different distances should have a common point or orientation. If, for example, you're snapping photographs of a skid mark, it should be taken from an angle so as to clearly show were that skid mark is, in relation to a landmark, like a street sign, a building, a fire hydrant, etc. Another photograph should then be taken with a closer view - - one clearly identifying the skid mark in detail - -and also, if possible, include this readily identifiable object or landmark (the street signs, building's, etc.).
Because they're such potent evidence you should blow up those photographs of the skid marks, taken from 3 to 6 feet away, into 8X10 glossies. A total of 12 to 15 photographs of the accident scene and/or the skid marks are not too many. When you hand copies of the 8X10 glossy photograph's of those skid marks to the adjuster, to help justify he payment he'll eventually make to you, it will absolutely increase the value of your claim.
"Why" you ask?
The answer to that one is, "Because it will tell both adjuster Smart and his supervisor (who, in the end, will usually call the shots on how much your settlement dollars should be) that you know what you're doing and you're not the type of individual who can be taken advantage of".
A WORD OF CAUTION: The individual engaged in the task of snapping photograph's of your body, the accident scene, etc., should be careful to make sure they're not undertaking this effort with a casual, hasty or careless attitude - - one that tends to leave it up to do the camera to do the thinking for them. Rather, the photographer ought to carefully consider the process the process slowly and seriously so that the photos produced will produce the maximum value.
If at all possible photos should be taken of the exact location on the road where the impact occurred, and shots of all relevant gouge and/or chop marks on the surface, plus traffic signs, etc., as applicable.
It cannot be emphasized enough that photographs of skid marks are invaluable evidence, since they can often indicate Fuddle's speed at the time of impact and can be a tremendous asset when it comes to establishing fault.
A good practice to follow is to make a brief notation on the backs of all photos, entering upon them a brief account of what the photo is showing, the date it was taken and by whom.
Photographs of injuries, the accident scene and the road surface if done correctly - - is money in the bank !
Copyright (c)2004 By Daniel G. Baldyga
DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this article "THE GREAT VALUE OF ACCIDENT PHOTOGRAPHS" is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga, Peter Go nor ARTICLECITY.COM make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever: NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service, NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL'S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.
All of the information necessary for you to deal with and handle the above issues are spelled out wiithin the contents of Dan Baldyga's third "How To" Insurance Claim book AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss)found on the internet at http://www.caraccidentclaims.com or http://www.autoaccodentclaims.com. This book also contains BASE (The Baldyga Auto Accident Settlement Evaluation Formula). THE BASE FORMULA will tell you exactly how many dollars the "Pain and Suffering" you endured, because of your accident - - are worth!
Copyright (c) 2002 By Dan Baldyga. All Rights Reserved
About The Author
Dan Baldyga is now retired and spends his time writing articles to assist those who are involved in motor vehicle accident claims so they won't be taken advantage of: dbpaw@comcast.net.
|
|
|
Consumer Directed Health Plans
Most of you have heard about "consumer directed health plans". The Bush administration has been a strong supporter of this concept as a way to get a handle on soaring healthcare costs. The recent inaugeration of Mr. Bush signals that consumer directed health plans will increasingly make up a larger percentage of group medical plans over the next several years. In the past, consumer directed plan designs have taken on many forms: Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).Many experts consider HRAs and HSAs to be the first generation of viable consumer directed health care products. HRAs are typically pair...(related: Insurance)
Which Car Should You Own To Keep Your Insurance Rates Most Affordable?
Do you consider the cost of insurance before you buy your dream car? You should. The Highway Loss Data Institute analyzes the cost to insurance companies from theft, collision, and injury claims as they relate to cars. They look at the color of the car...(related: Insurance)
Insurance Claim - Medical Insights And Expenses
There's nothing that has a greater impact on evaluating a personal injury insurance claim than the damage done to your body, the medical bills that are a direct result of that injury and the "pain and suffering" you were forced to deal with.Besides botching up your body (and sometimes your love life) what else does the injury mean to you? It means a ton of financial expense's, including repairing your car, lost wages, a shock to your life style, a tremendous inconvenience and short or long periods of pain and discomfort - - all of it a direct result of your injuries.Plus, there's a long list of possible medical expenses. Fo...(related: Insurance)
Insurance Glossary Of Terms
Assured - Those insured under the terms of an insurance policy.Benefit - The money paid to the policyholder when a claim is made.Bid Price - The selling price or cash-in value of your unit holdings.B...(related: Insurance)
Should I Buy Rental Car Insurance?
Rental car agencies have a menu of insurance policies they would like to sell you. While each policy could be of some benefit under the right circumstances, you should review each plan (its provisions, limitations, and exclusions) before making a purchase. It is a good idea to request the detailed information from an agent at the rental office, as most companies only provide a summar...(related: Insurance)
Life Insurance, The Universe, And Everything
You may have noticed that life insurance is coming back into fashion. It's true that it may not be the financial term on everybody's lips, but sales of life insurance have been going up, according to the Association of British Insurers. Whilst we may not be saving the...(related: Insurance)
The Best Rates On Life Insurance
Finding the best rates on life insurance is not difficult any longer. With a few simple key strokes you open up a vast array of services on the internet to help you find the coverage's you want and the best rates on life insurance.Without outside influence and distraction you'll be able to examine and think through your final choice. There's not any major difference in the base rates that companies charge. That thinking came about years ago as agents would quote us their preferences. We needed to check with different agents and the prices varied a lot, but because of policy types not the rates.So, no longer do we need to be subjected to single mindedness or purpose as the internet lets you look at whatever you wish. After reviewing you...(related: Insurance)
Why Do You Need Homeowners Insurance?
The biggest single investment most people make in their lifetime is buying a home, condominium or townhouse. What you want to do is protect your home, personal property and any type of liability with a homeowner's insurance policy.Homeowner's insurance just does not cover homes, but it will cover those who rent homes, apartments, condos, and townhouses. These homeowner's policy are referred to at renter's homeowner policies. If you are a renter, you will not need protection against damage to the building itself, but you will need protection against damage or theft of your personal property and any type of liability just in case so...(related: Insurance)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 Insurance | All Rights Reserved. | Insurance