After a fatal car accident involving many complicating factors, it's hard to focus on the process of investigating the scene of the accident and gathering witness reports with you're dealing with the loss of a loved one. Understanding which parties can and will investigate the details of a complicated crash or collision helps you collect the evidence that's already on hand and fill in the gaps for a comprehensive case. Learn who can provide you with evidence, and who you can hire to gather more, to find out the truth about really happened during the accident.

Local Police

All vehicular accidents reported to the police or involving an injury or fatality are investigated by the police local to the accident area. This can range from a simple accident report with only a few lines of written description to a file thick with photos of vehicle positions, damage, road marks, witness reports, and more. You can't assume that the police will be able to record every detail while dealing with traffic control, vehicle removal, and the other challenges of managing an accident scene.

Auto Insurance Company

Expect the auto insurance companies representing each of the parties involved in the accident to investigate the details themselves as well. This can be handled by the same adjusters that check out the physical damage on a vehicle after a claim, but in serious cases with one or more fatalities, the insurance companies often hire private investigators with specific experience in gathering evidence related to a car accident. This information is used by the auto insurance companies alone and is rarely available for use in an accident claim or case, even by request. It's still worth making contact with your insurance company, as well as any other insurers you know were involved, to see what is available to build your case.

Legal Team

Once you hire an attorney, such as from Hoffman Richard D Law Offices of, to represent you and your lost loved ones, you've got a powerful ally in the quest to find out exactly what happened on the road. Even if you decide not to pursue a legal case, you may find the information gathered in preparations for the case to give you closure about what has happened. Attorneys usually either use parts of their team like paralegals to gather evidence or hire private investigators, especially in cases where there are no criminal charges and therefore there is limited involvement from the police.