Gumshoe to GPS Evidence in Issaquah Car Crash Cases
Posted Friday, September 16, 2022 by Chris Thayer
To obtain compensation for their injuries, victims/plaintiffs must prove negligence, or a lack of care, by a preponderance of the evidence, or more likely than not. Insurance companies have a legal duty to turn over all evidence in their possession during a lawsuit’s discovery period. Therefore, many passive attorneys do not do much evidence collection and wait for the insurance company to do the work. Active attorneys know the value of early and thorough evidence collection. This effort makes negligence claims much easier to settle on victim-friendly terms.
Frequently, an Issaquah personal injury attorney partners with a private investigator to collect evidence in car crash cases. Other professionals, such as doctors and accident reconstruction engineers, often lend a hand as well. All this effort may seem unnecessary. But extra effort on the front end pays dividends on the back end, in the form of maximum compensation for serious injuries.
*Gumshoe Evidence* Back in ye olden days, private investigators walked so much that they got gum on their shoes. At least we think that is where this expression came from. Now, largely thanks to an attorney’s legal connections and know-how, a simple phone call is enough to collect evidence like the police accident report, medical bills, and witness statements.
The quality of this evidence, such as the police accident report, varies. Issaquah is a relatively small community with a relatively small police force in a relatively isolated part of King County. So, if a car crash happens on a surface street, even a busy one like Highland Drive or Front Street, the Issaquah police department may be the only investigating agency.
The IPD has limited resources, which means limited accident investigations. Thus, the same emergency responder who spearheaded activities at the scene often writes the report. These individuals do the best they can. However, their written reports are often little more than afterthoughts. Additionally, they usually base their conclusions solely on the evidence immediately available at the scene.
In contrast, if a wreck happens on Interstate 90, multiple agencies often contribute to the investigation. Many larger agencies, like the Washington State Police, have in-house professional accident investigators. All that means more resources and a more comprehensive report.
At the minimum, gumshoe evidence is always a good starting point. It is up to an Issaquah personal injury lawyer to fill in the gaps.
GPS Evid*ence* Back in the day, surveillance cameras recorded blurry images on grainy videotape. Now, surveillance cameras digitally record sharp images. Image quality is just one advantage. Assuming the gadget was working right and a lawyer lays the proper foundation in court, insurance company lawyers usually cannot challenge surveillance video accuracy or authenticity.
These same things apply to a vehicle’s Event Data Recorder. An EDR is like a black box flight data recorder for a motor vehicle. Depending on the make and model, EDRs measure and record data like:
- Vehicle speed,
- Engine RPM,
- Brake application, and
- Steering angle.
A skilled attorney uses these bits of evidence to build a case like a painter uses dollops of oil paint on a palette to create a painting.
*Contact a Reliable King County Attorney* Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Issaquah, contact Pivotal Law Group, PLLC. We routinely handle matters throughout Washington State.