A single car accident can be very costly. The average claim for bodily injuries is approximately $15,443, and the average claim for property damage is approximately $3,231. You definitely don't want to be responsible for all of these costs. Seeking compensation from the responsible party means filing a car accident personal injury claim.

To improve your chances of winning the case, most car accident attorneys will recommend that you find a witness to testify on your behalf. This article will look at 3 important factors that will easily influence the credibility of your witness.

The Attitude and Demeanor of the Witness at Trial

To win the case and be awarded a larger compensation amount, your witness needs to convince others that your account of how the accident unfolded is true. Their testimony must back up your claims. On top of that, your witness must be likeable person with a good attitude that leads others to believe what they're saying. It's best to have several witnesses for your car accident attorney to choose from. Your attorney will speak with each witness to determine how willing they are to testify on their behalf and their general attitude and demeanor.

Even though a witness might be able to back up your claims, they will be much less believable if they are unwilling to. Try to speak with the witness on a personal level to let them know just how important it is for you if they would testify on your behalf. Your attorney will let you know about what details you can and cannot disclose to the witness.

The Witness' Profession and Status in the Society

A credible witness is also a witness that is an upstanding member of society. This means that they have a honorable or stable profession and some status in the community. For example, a well-liked teacher who volunteers their weekends at homeless shelters or an honorable policeman who was simply passing by will be better witnesses than a convicted felon with a history of lying.

Your attorney will want to spend some time looking into each witness' background to confirm that you don't pick a witness with a questionable history. If you do, the attorney of the opposing party might bring those factors up to try to damage the credibility of the witness.

The Location of the Witness and What They Were Doing at the Time of the Accident

Another important factor to consider is whether the witness is credible based on where they were positioned at the time of the accident and also what they were doing. If the witness is another driver on the road, the attorney might question whether the witness would have been distracted while driving and missed some critical events and points.

The position of the witness will also need to be factored into the equation to determine how credible their account of the event might be. Your attorney will look at the layout of the scene of the accident to determine whether there are any obstacles that might have prevented the witness from getting the complete story.

Having credible witnesses testify on your behalf can really help move your case along. If you have several credible witnesses willing to testify on your behalf, your case will be greatly strengthened, and you'll be more likely to be awarded with a larger compensation amount. Your car accident attorney will want to spend some time prepping the witnesses and making sure that they understand how the process works. At times, your witness won't even have to show up. A written statement may be more than sufficient.

To learn more about how to best handle your case contact law firms like Clearfield & Kofsky.