One of the best ways to protect your legal rights after an accident is to thoroughly document both the crash and your injuries. Having evidence of what caused the crash and how you were hurt can assist in proving negligence on SEPTA’s part. You may not realize it after sustaining an injury, but you already have a powerful tool in your pocket to protect yourself—the camera on your phone.
How to Take Pictures After a SEPTA Crash
SEPTA busses now come equipped with video cameras to record incidents when a personal injury claim is involved. You shouldn’t rely on that video alone, however. The camera only gets a single angle and may not show the whole story. Your SEPTA driver or a third-party investigator may also take pictures, but you need your own as well. Specifically, you want to capture:
- The accident scene as a whole from a short distance away.
- Images of the SEPTA vehicle from multiple angles (typically at least three), as well as any other vehicles involved in the accident.
- Individual objects besides the vehicles that show the extent of the accident—tire skid marks, broken glass, vehicle parts on the road, debris from any buildings or objects that were struck, and so on.
- Landmarks and conditions at the scene of the accident that could have played a role in the collision, like traffic lights, road signs, construction hazards, or icy road conditions.
- Photos of your physical injuries as well as any injuries of other people hurt in the accident, which likely won’t be recorded by SEPTA video.
What to Do With Photos After a SEPTA Accident
No matter how many photos you take, don’t delete any of them—even if you think they may not be helpful to your case. After taking the snapshots and visiting a doctor to document your injuries, show all the photos to your attorney, as there may be details that are helpful to your case that aren’t immediately apparent.
Even if you weren’t able to take photographs or gather contact info from witnesses, which is often the case if you need to visit the emergency room immediately, an attorney can still pursue your case in court or assist in negotiating with insurance for a settlement.
Contact us with the basic details of your accident so we can schedule a free consultation to determine if the Heslin Law Firm can help. Whether you were able to take your own photos or not, a strong case can still be made using SEPTA video in conjunction with a thorough investigation from our legal team.
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