How do you preserve a witness’s memory?

If you are involved in a serious accident, one of the things you need to do is to take steps to preserve your memory as a witness. Anyone else who was involved should do the same.

It’s an interesting fact, but the reality is that many people are not good witnesses. As time passes, they begin to forget what happened to them or to those around them. You might be a direct witness to a crash or crime, but even the most shocking event can start to fade out of your memory pretty quickly.

Preserving your memory involves avoiding contamination

The first thing to do to preserve your memory is to avoid contamination. That means that you shouldn’t start listening to what other people say happened or begin watching recordings of an event until you write down what you remember clearly on your own. It is possible to develop false memories caused by other people’s influence, which is why the authorities and legal teams have to be so cautious about who they use as witnesses in cases like yours.

How can you preserve your memories of a serious event?

To preserve your own memories, the first thing you should do is write down everything you can remember as soon as possible. Those notes will help jog your memory later when you speak with your attorney, the police or others about the case.

If you are at the scene and want to make sure your recall is correct, consider taking photos or a video. Being able to actually see what was happening at the time of an incident is very helpful when you want to make a claim.

Try not to talk to too many other people about what they saw or heard until you write down your memories. People tend to merge that new information into their understanding of an event, which can mean that they taint their own memories. Avoid that by writing down the information your recall, so you can pass it directly on to those who want to know more about what happened. Stick to the facts, so there is a solid basis for your personal injury claim.