Quick answer
Preserve evidence that can prove each link in the claim: the collision, the vehicles and people involved, negligent or wrongful driving, bodily injury or death, treatment, functional effect and financial loss. Keep originals with dates, source and context. A folder of dramatic photographs is not a substitute for an evidence map showing what each item can and cannot establish.
How to use this guide
Vehicle damage may help reconstruct the event, but the Road Accident Fund scheme does not ordinarily compensate the repair of the vehicle itself. The statutory focus is bodily injury or death caused by negligent or wrongful driving.
Map the accident evidence
Write a neutral account as soon as possible, separating what you personally observed from what another person later said. Record direction of travel, lanes, signals, weather, visibility, speed estimates as estimates, impact points and events immediately afterwards. Do not fill gaps with certainty.
Preserve original scene photographs, video, dash-camera or telematics material lawfully available, along with filenames and metadata. Keep police and traffic references, emergency-service details, vehicle registration information and proof of who supplied each record. If an image has been edited for clarity, retain the unedited source and label the working copy.
Preserve witness information, not only names
For each witness, record full contact details, where the person was positioned, what they could see or hear and how their details were obtained. Distinguish an independent witness from a driver, passenger, family member or person who arrived afterwards. Avoid coaching a witness or circulating a shared version of events for approval.
Keep voice notes, messages or written accounts in their original form. If a formal statement is later needed, a lawyer can decide how to obtain and use it. Evidence quality depends on observation, consistency and context, not simply the number of people supporting one version.
Preserve identity and authority evidence accurately
Keep lawful copies or reliable details that connect the drivers, owners and vehicles to the event, including registration information and the reference for the official accident report. Reconcile names, identification numbers and vehicle details across police, medical and insurance material without editing an original document. If a detail differs, record both versions and the source of each. A guessed driver or owner identity can create a more serious problem than an openly documented gap.
The person injured may not always be the person who later gives instructions. For a child, deceased person or dependant, preserve the relationship and authority material appropriate to the claim, such as birth, guardianship, death, marriage, maintenance or estate records. Do not publish these documents or send them to every participant. Keep a controlled authority folder so that the adviser can determine who may act and what proof is required.
Link injury evidence to the collision
Collect ambulance, emergency, hospital and follow-up records showing the first complaints, clinical findings, diagnoses, treatment and progression. Explain any delay in seeking care and preserve prior medical information relevant to the same body area or function. Hiding a pre-existing condition can damage credibility and prevent a proper causation analysis.
Keep photographs of visible injury in a respectful, dated sequence, together with the person who took them. A symptom diary can support memory about pain, treatment and daily function, but it is a personal record, not an independent diagnosis or a serious-injury assessment.
Prove function and earnings with ordinary records
Use workplace evidence to show what changed: job description, rosters, attendance, payslips, employer letters, occupational-health restrictions, reduced duties and return-to-work attempts. For self-employment, preserve bookings, invoices, contracts, bank records, accounts and tax returns covering a meaningful period before and after the accident.
Friends and colleagues may describe observed limitations, but financial loss must be reconciled to source records. Separate past absence, current reduced capacity and any predicted future loss. Each requires evidence; none should be assumed from the injury label alone.
Record expenses without assuming they are recoverable
Keep treatment invoices, pharmacy slips, medical-scheme statements, transport records, assistive-device costs and proof of who paid. Add the service date, provider, reason for the expense and any refund or scheme contribution. If a relative provided transport or care without issuing an invoice, log the dates, task and source of the account rather than creating a fictional receipt later.
Place vehicle repairs, towing and other property losses in a separate folder. They may be relevant to reconstructing impact or to a different recovery route, but they should not be presented as ordinary RAF bodily-injury compensation. Similarly, an expense incurred after the collision is not automatically caused by it. The evidence file should allow an adviser to test the connection instead of hiding unrelated or uncertain items.
Maintain provenance and a preservation log
For every digital item, record source, original filename, date received, custodian and storage location. Export complete conversations rather than isolated screenshots when lawful and relevant. Avoid deleting adverse messages, changing timestamps or recreating a missing document after the event.
List evidence not yet obtained, such as a traffic-camera request, hospital file, employer confirmation or device data, with the custodian and request date. Short-retention material may require prompt action, but preservation must remain lawful and proportionate.
Separate evidence from the submission pack
The prescribed claim form and required accompanying material create a procedural pack; the broader evidence file supports liability and damages. Keep both. A valid form is not proof of the merits, and strong evidence does not excuse non-compliance with the applicable lodgement requirements.
Retain the exact version sent and proof of receipt. If neither the driver nor owner can be identified, a claim was returned, or a deadline may be close, obtain advice immediately instead of assuming further evidence gathering protects the claim.
Store sensitive material in a controlled location and keep a sharing log. Medical, identity and income records should not be circulated through public links or broad messaging groups. When redaction is necessary for a working copy, retain the complete protected original and record what was removed. Evidence preservation includes confidentiality and chain of custody, not only keeping a copy somewhere.
What preserved evidence cannot guarantee
Good preservation helps a claim be assessed but cannot guarantee acceptance, serious-injury status, compensation, timing or a favourable apportionment. The evidence must still be tested for reliability, relevance, negligent driving, causation and loss. Current forms, prescription and delivery rules require matter-specific review.
FAQs
Are photographs enough to prove a RAF claim?
No. They can support the accident or injury account, but identity, negligent driving, causation, medical evidence and each loss category require their own proof.
Should I edit or annotate the original photos?
Keep the original files unchanged with metadata where available. Use copies for arrows, captions or redactions and record who supplied each file.
What if a witness will not provide a statement now?
Preserve the witness’s full contact details, what they could observe and how they were identified. A lawyer can advise on the appropriate next step.
Does severe vehicle damage prove severe bodily injury?
No. Collision damage may provide context, but the nature and consequences of bodily injury require medical and functional evidence.
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Source notes
Legal note
This article is general legal information for South African readers. It is not legal advice. Speak to a qualified legal professional about your specific facts before taking action.