Have you ever watched a trial, whether in person or via media? If so, you’ve probably seen questioning of witnesses in a personal injury litigation case. Even if a case doesn’t go to trial, witnesses play a crucial role in many injury cases, providing important evidence for victims.
What counts as evidence in a personal injury case?
In a personal injury case, many things serve as evidence, including:
- photos of the scene
- photos of the sustained injuries
- police reports
- video footage (doorbell cameras, dashcams, security footage from nearby businesses, etc.)
- medical records from the victim’s doctors, emergency medical personnel, and therapist(s).
- witnesses (firsthand knowledge of the accident, OR individuals specializing in fields related to the case)
While all of these forms of evidence are sought out by your personal injury attorney, witnesses are preferred.
How crucial are witnesses in a personal injury litigation case?
For attorneys, witnesses play an important role in building a solid personal injury case.
They provide specific information and insight.
Witnesses are individuals who saw the accident occur, or individuals related to the case because of their specialized field. For those who saw the accident firsthand (lay witnesses), attorneys
Expert witnesses are a crucial part of a personal injury litigation case!
can glean helpful information about the moments leading up to the accident, the moment the accident happened, and the events immediately after. This perspective is key, as the witness is an unbiased party that had an objective, 3rd party view of the incident. The victim (who is impacted by the trauma of the accident) may or may not have an accurate account of what happened.
Witnesses related to the accident because of their career field (expert witnesses) include individuals like police officers, emergency medical responders, doctors who treated the patient or specialize in the type of injury sustained, and accident reconstruction experts, among others. These witnesses offer specific information and insight related to the case.
They strengthen the credibility of the victim.
Victims sustain trauma in an accident. Whether physical, mental, or both, trauma can alter one’s memories of an event and skew perspective. Therefore, while important, a victim’s statement alone doesn’t always provide the strongest evidence in a case. When witnesses are brought in that corroborate a victim’s account, they play a huge role in providing credibility for the victim and giving personal injury attorneys a much stronger case.
How does a personal injury attorney find witnesses?
Ultimately, attorneys hope witnesses will come forward if they’ve seen anything related to an accident. Injury lawyers may also pull witness names from:
- police reports
- surveillance photos or video evidence from nearby businesses
- interviewing people present in nearby homes or businesses (close proximity to the accident)
- recommendations from their client, including names of doctors providing ongoing treatment
No witnesses in a personal injury litigation case?
The experienced team at Brooks Law Group is here to build a solid case on your behalf, regardless of witnesses. We explore all options, and work hard to gather detailed information about your case.
We have the connections and resources necessary to seek out information related to your injuries, accident details, and Florida law, so you have a strong offense on your side.
Brooks Law Group is Tampa’s top personal injury attorney.
When you need a team of personal injury lawyers you can trust, Brooks Law Group is where your search ends. We have years of experience representing victims just like you, making sure they got the justice and compensation they needed after their accident. We’ll do the same for you. The best part? You don’t pay unless we win, so you can focus on healing instead of worrying about paying for legal help up front.
If you’ve been injured in Tampa Bay, Look to Brooks.
