Pictures can be the difference between an average settlement and a great settlement. The right photograph can be a very powerful tool in motivating the insurance company to make a fair settlement offer.
Videotaping is also a very effective tool. Video can show the complete picture of the accident scene, like the positioning of the cars, damage and any visual impairments or obstructions. It can show the “loss of range of motion” caused by an injury. It can dramatically show the important aspects of your case. The point is that in an accident we are trying to recreate the past. The more effectively we do the better.
Pictures and video can accomplish the same thing that sometimes the Law Offices of Ronald B. Laba has to physically reconstruct. I remember a case where one of my clients received a very serious neck and head injury from hitting her head against the back window of a pickup truck. The insurance company claimed she didn’t hit her head hard enough to have received an injury because the window didn’t break.
So I decided to set up an experiment in our garage. We hunted around and found the same kind of glass that was in the truck. We got a baseball bat, and experimented with just how hard we had to hit the glass before it broke. It surprised even us – we had to hit that glass pretty hard before it would finally break.
To give the judge who was reviewing the case a clear visual picture of the situation – I actually took the glass and my baseball bat into his chambers. With a good idea of how hard I could hit the window before it would break, I lofted the bat on my shoulder and took a good whack.
Needless to say, that judge was surprised when the window didn’t even crack. The insurance company was now in a position where they had to deal with the real facts.
So, take pictures of your injuries and make a photo record of your stay in the hospital. If your injuries created a facial scar, it is usually worth it to get a picture professionally done. Professional photos including close-ups will show the detail of the scars. When in doubt, get it on film.
