Witnesses can make or break a car accident case in South Carolina. Official statements about what they saw and how the car crash happened can significantly bolster your case.
The roles witnesses play.
Without any third-party observers, the determination of fault is left to accident investigators who are trying to recreate the crash after it happened; and a jury has only your word against the other driver’s. A credible witness can settle the dispute over who was at fault in your car crash.
Witnesses can also speak to driver behaviors after a crash, such as irrational aggression or apparent drunkenness.
Getting witness information…
If you are not too badly injured to interview witnesses after your car accident, ask them to write down their names, phone numbers, and email addresses so you or your attorney can contact them later for official statements.
If you were badly injured in the crash or too flustered to collect witness information, all is not lost. The police typically collect witness statements and information when they arrive at the accident scene. You can get that information from the police reports and talk to witnesses yourself, or have your attorney interview witnesses for your case.
Third-party witnesses versus friends and family…
It’s always best if you can find an impartial third-party witness who will favor you in your car accident case . If you can’t find an objective witness – or if there were none – friends and family who saw what happened or who were passengers in your car during the crash can still be credible witnesses.
It’s important that friends and family who serve as witnesses are completely honest and genuine to investigators, attorneys, and juries.
If you would like to know more about the roles witnesses play in South Carolina car accident cases, and how the experienced auto accident attorneys at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers can help you find and interview witnesses, contact our team right away. We offer a free case evaluation that will help you understand your rights and options.