Who Is a Credible Witness for a North Port Car Accident?
Mark A. Steinberg
Traffic Accidents
If you are a victim of a car accident and have decided to file a claim to receive compensation, you want to make sure you do all you can to provide enough evidence as possible to prove your case. You will often find that it is your word against the word of the other person involved in the accident. This is why having a fair amount of objective evidence is so important. Finding a credible witness can be incredibly beneficial.
Why Credibility Is Important
An insurance company or jury will not take a witness seriously if they are not credible. So, if your witness has a documented history of lying, for example, this will do little to help your case. Why would they rely on someone known for lying to make credible statements on your behalf?
If the witness you found has a criminal history, this could also hurt their credibility as well, even if their charges have nothing to do with your North Port car accident.
The credibility of a witness is partly determined by the relationship between the accident victim and the witness. If it is a relative, then it may not be an objective account of what happened, and people may argue that the witness is saying things in your favor to help with the case.
Factors of Credibility
Some other factors that may determine the credibility of a witness are as follows:
• The witness is hostile
• Witness activities before the crash
• The plausibility of the witness account
• Witness statement inconsistency
• Witness has impaired hearing or vision
• Witness was distracted at the time
• Whether they saw the entire accident or only saw what happened after the collision
An experienced car accident attorney can investigate the witness to determine their level of credibility before they testify on your behalf or against you. Credible witnesses can certainly strengthen a claim, but they can do significant damage if they lack the credibility needed.
Consult with Your North Port Attorney
Before you file your claim and present your witnesses, make sure to discuss your case with an experienced North Port car accident attorney. They can help determine your witness's level of credibility and determine what needs to be done to further prove your case.
Car accident claims can be tricky to navigate because you have the insurance company working against your best interests. You need to have someone qualified on your side to help you build as strong a case as possible to increase your chances of receiving the compensation you rightfully deserve following the accident. Remember, the insurance company may also choose to contact witnesses for their account of the incident.
Many times, it is up to the discretion of the insurance adjuster to determine which part of the story is supported by witnesses and whether or not the witness can be considered credible. A witness statement is a document that records the evidence of a person.
The witness statement is then signed to confirm that what they have said is true. The statement should include details of what the witness saw, heard, and felt at the time of the accident.
An insurance company and the opposing party will do everything they can to discredit the witness claims and help their own case. So, it is best to have a professional car accident attorney on your side to help you each step of the way.