Award Winning Wisconsin Injury Lawyer Since 1976 | Call: (866) 971-9124 | Text: (608) 830-0606
Award Winning Wisconsin Injury Lawyer Since 1976 | Call: (866) 971-9124 | Text: (608) 830-0606
Why timing matters: Video may be overwritten, vehicles may be repaired, scenes may change, and witnesses can become harder to locate. This checklist can help you identify evidence worth preserving.
Preserve original photos and videos of the scene, vehicles, property damage, injuries, road conditions, debris, skid marks, traffic signs/signals, weather, and contributing conditions.
– Keep original files; avoid deleting, cropping, filtering, or editing them.
– Back them up somewhere other than your phone.
Identify cameras that may have captured the incident: business surveillance, doorbell cameras, traffic/intersection cameras, parking lots, homes, buses, or dashcams.
– Note the camera location and who controls it.
– Footage can be overwritten quickly, so tell your attorney promptly.
Save each witness’s full name, phone number, email address, and notes about what they saw or heard.
– Preserve texts, emails, or messages from witnesses.
– Do not pressure witnesses or ask them to change their account.
Before a vehicle or item is repaired, sold, salvaged, destroyed, or altered, photograph it thoroughly and tell your attorney.
– Preserve damaged property, clothing, helmets, child seats, or other relevant items.
– Keep repair estimates, tow/storage records, and receipts.
Keep the police/crash report information, insurance communications, medical bills/records you receive, prescriptions, work-loss documentation, receipts, estimates, and correspondence related to the accident. Save emails, attachments, claim numbers, and useful envelopes.
We do not recommend you keep a log of your symptoms over time. Too often the other insurance company will pick that apart down the road to justify compensating you for less. Instead, be complete in telling the doctor about all your symptoms. You can keep simple notes about appointments and missed work.
Preserve relevant texts, emails, call logs, app messages, rideshare information, location/history data, dashcam files, and social-media content.
– Do not delete potentially relevant content after a claim or dispute arises.
– Ask your attorney before responding to requests for digital information.
Especially time-sensitive: surveillance/dashcam video, witness contact information, the condition of vehicles or physical items before repair/disposal, and changing scene conditions.
A practical rule: Preserve first; organize later. Keep originals, make backups, and avoid altering evidence. If you are unsure whether something matters, keep it and discuss it with your attorney.
Important: Do not put yourself in danger, trespass, confront anyone, or interfere with an investigation to collect evidence. This guide is general information, not legal advice; what matters depends on the facts of the case.
