Top 7 Questions Your Burbank Auto Accident Attorney Will Ask Your Witnesses

If you are a victim of a Burbank car accident, identifying witnesses while at the scene can help with your auto accident insurance claim. While not all witnesses have helpful information, even a strong witness or two can prove invaluable in your case.

Of course, if injured, you may not be able to gather much information through the witnesses immediately. As long as you know how to contact them, you can always speak to the witnesses after tending to your immediate injuries.

Your Burbank auto accident attorney will guide you about the best questions to ask the witnesses. Here is a list of seven common questions that can prove helpful to your case.

1. Can You Describe Precisely What You Saw?

It’s better to ask an open-ended question that will entice the witness to give as much a detailed answer as possible. Don’t ask direct questions like ‘Did you see the driver hit me?”.

These questions only make them feel that you want a specific reply. Make the witness feel comfortable enough to open up and describe the incident as thoroughly as possible instead of asking anything specific.

Then based on their narrative, ask follow-up questions that will nail down specifics.

Examples of questions to ask are:

• Did you hear the driver try to brake suddenly?
• Did you notice the traffic signals and if a driver drove at an unsafe speed or drove through a red light?
• Did you notice if the other driver seemed to be injured or intoxicated?
• Did the other driver say or do something?

2. What Were You Doing Before the Accident?

This is an important question.

If the witness was distracted and looked only after hearing a crash, their testimony may not be helpful for you.

The testimony of a witness driving behind you during the accident has a more substantial impact on your case.

Find out if something was obstructing their line of vision.

Also, don’t forget to note the time and weather conditions when the accident occurred. It’s because rains and the bright midday sun may restrict the witness’s visibility.

3. What Did You Do After the Accident?

Sometimes the witness may not have noticed the events leading to a crash. However, they may be able to reconstruct what happened after the accident.

Like if the other driver fled the scene.

Or they may have noticed the car’s make, model, and license number.

Their calling 911 or trying to help you also proves how serious the accident must be.

4. Were There Other Witnesses Who May Have More Information?

Sometimes the witness can provide other leads to witnesses who may have seen what happened better. Note their contact information to use later on.

5. Do You Know the Other Driver Involved in the Accident?

This is another crucial question to ask.

It’s human nature to sympathize if a family member or friend was involved.

While some relationships are apparent, some aren’t, so it’s better to ask.

6. Is Something Else I Should Know?

Just like you started with an open-ended question, end your session with something open-ended like this.

Sometimes the witness may remember things later on, things that didn’t spring to mind immediately. Besides, you may have also missed out on some points. Asking a general follow-up question before saying goodbye helps them bring up any significant or relevant details they may know.

7. Can I Contact You Again If Required?

You need to ask this because you never know when you may need additional follow-up in the future. Your lawyer may have some further questions to ask them later on.

Your Auto Accident Lawyer in Burbank Can Help

It’s not always possible for the accident victim to do the questioning.

If you are too physically injured or under emotional trauma, leave the investigation to an experienced and competent Burbank auto accident attorney. They will identify credible witnesses and help build a strong case against the negligent driver.