Car Accident Witness Responsibility and Witness Statements

Car Accident Witness Responsibility

There are no laws that regulate car accident witness responsibility in Nevada. However, it is generally accepted that witnesses call 911 to report the accident when there are injuries and property damage. 

You should provide the police with your contact details. This way, the parties involved in the accident or their car accident attorneys can contact you should they have further questions or require a sworn statement for insurance settlement purposes. 

Why Are Car Accident Witness Statements Important?

Car accident witness statements provide a first-hand account of what occurred during a car crash. They help police officers determine who is potentially at fault for the accident and what sort of settlement the injured party could receive from the insurance company. 

How Do Car Accident Witness Statements Help Car Accident Victims?

People who are injured may have to rely upon witnesses in car accidents to ensure they get the compensation they deserve. Several ways witness statements can assist victims include:

• An unbiased account of what occurred: Witness statements can help provide an accurate account of what happened during the car accident, which can be crucial when negotiating a settlement.
• Viewing things from a different perspective: Witnesses often see the entire sequence of events, often including what led up to the crash. Their viewpoint can help provide more accurate observations and details vital for proving fault. 
• Improves the likelihood of faster and fair settlements: Insurance companies are more likely to settle faster when victims have witness statements supporting their case.  

What Information Should a Car Accident Witness Provide in Their Statement?

Car accident witnesses should provide various information in their statement, including:

• Name and contact details
• The order in which events took place
• What you saw 
• The direction the vehicles were going
• What happened after the vehicles crashed
• Any injuries and damages
• The weather and road conditions
• Where you witnessed the accident from
• Were there any other witnesses?
• Did anyone involved in the accident say anything relevant?

When preparing your witness statement, avoid including your opinions or personal bias. It is important to remain objective and just list the facts. Stick to who, what, when, why, and how. 

If it helps you, make a list of the details and the order in which they occurred before writing a written statement. Do not worry if some of the information seems irrelevant. Include it because that small piece of information could be important to the police or when seeking compensation for car crash injuries. 

What Not To Include in a Car Accident Witness Statement

When preparing and writing a car accident witness statement, there are certain things you should attempt to leave out of it, including:

• Personal opinions: You may believe one party is at fault. However, it is up to the police, insurance companies, car accident lawyers, and a judge or jury to decide based on the evidence and facts in the case. 
• Personal feelings: It is easy to empathize with anyone injured in a car accident. However, you should set your feelings aside when writing your statement. Sometimes, people sustain injuries and are partially or fully at fault. 
• Assumptions: You should avoid making assumptions about anything you did not personally witness or see. Do not guess or anticipate what occurred if you did not see it actually take place. 

Car Accident Witness Statement Example

To help give you a better idea of what a car accident witness statement looks like, here is an example: 

I, Sally Smith (35 years old) of 123 Red Maple Land, Las Vegas, NV, witnessed the following:

I was traveling north on Church Street on July 1, 20XX, around 10:30 am. The weather was cloudy and overcast but not raining. I was following behind a white Ford Focus heading toward the intersection of Elm Street. I was driving at 35 mph as we approached the intersection. The traffic light started to turn from green to red. As I slowed down, the Ford Focus sped up to beat the light.

The light turned red before they reached the interaction, but they did not stop. They hit a red Chrysler 300 head-on as the Chrysler was making a left-hand turn onto Elm Street. The Chrysler spun around and ended up facing east toward the oncoming traffic lane on Elm Street.

I stopped, along with several other people, to check to see if there were any injuries. Mary Andrews was another witness and called 911 for an ambulance. The airbags had deployed in both vehicles. Both vehicles had extensive front-end damages. Both drivers sustained injuries from the crash. The driver of the Chrysler had blood running down the sides of her face and said she could not feel her fingers in her right hand. The driver of the Ford had a bloody nose, got out of his vehicle, and said he was fine. 

Signed: Sally Smith

Date: July 5, 20XX

Get Help Obtaining Witness Statements After Your Car Accident in Las Vegas

When you are injured in a car accident and need help building a solid claim against the responsible party, you can count on Adam S. Kutner, Injury Attorneys. Our Las Vegas car accident attorneys help gather evidence, including witness statements. Let us help you obtain the compensation you deserve while you focus on healing and recovery.