How Dashcam Footage Can Impact a Car Accident Case

Dashcam footage is an invaluable type of evidence after a car accident. Eyewitness testimony is often viewed as the gold standard of evidence, but the fact is that the human memory is fallible. It makes mistakes. What each party believes to be true may not be what actually happened in the accident. Dashcam footage presents a neutral view of the accident and what preceded it. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, dashcam footage could help or hurt your car accident case.

It’s important to talk to an attorney as soon as possible after a car accident. The team at Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough, Howell, Huggins & Bradley is here to help you explore your options and make a plan. Call our Chatom office at 251-847-2237 or our Bay Minette office at 251-651-0483 to schedule a consultation now.

Your Dashcam Footage Could Help You

There are many situations in which your dashcam could save the day after an accident. Consider a common scenario: another driver obviously breaks the law while driving and causes an accident. When the police show up, they tell a completely different story that conveniently makes you out to be the liable party. The evidence is unclear, and the police officer is unable to determine with absolute certainty who to blame, so no one gets a citation and both stories get included in the police report.

That situation is cleared up much more quickly if you have a dashcam. A dashcam can prove that the other party is not telling the full truth and show why there are liable. This pushes their insurance company to offer a fair settlement and makes it less likely that you’ll get stuck in a back-and-forth between the companies.

…But It Could Also Hurt You

Don’t assume that a dashcam will always help your accident claim. It’s a neutral observer of driver behavior, so it could also provide evidence against you after a crash. No one is a perfect driver, and it’s possible that your own behavior could have contributed to a crash.

Does your dashcam record audio? It might have footage of you talking on the phone before a crash or talking about a text message you just received. It may record you complaining about the weather and saying that you can’t see through the rain. It could capture other behaviors that show you were distracted at the time of the crash.

Your dashcam’s view of the road could also show that you were driving unsafely or erratically at the time of the accident. Rapid lane changes, sudden changes in speed, and cutting off other vehicles could seriously damage your accident claim.

What Happens If the Other Driver Has a Dashcam?

You may notice a dashcam in the other driver’s car. If they were at fault for the accident, you want to get your hands on that footage as soon as possible to ensure that they don’t delete it. How do you get that footage?

If you point out the dashcam to the responding officer, they can ask to see the video footage. If the driver refuses or insists that the cam was not active, it’s time to talk to an attorney. Your attorney can push the other party’s insurance company to release the footage or even use a subpoena to get the video from the crash time. If you wait too long to explore these options with your attorney, the footage could be long gone by the time you ask.

How Your Attorney Can Help

Technology has changed a lot when it comes to car accidents, and you need a legal professional who can help you fight for the compensation you are owed. Your car accident lawyer can determine which evidence is most useful in your case and use it to build a claim against the liable party. The earlier you take action and hire a lawyer, the more time they have to build a case for you.

Contact Our Firm Today to Get the Representation You Deserve

At Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough, Howell, Huggins & Bradley, we fight for our clients’ rights to full and fair compensation after a crash. Ready to find out how we can help you? You can contact us online here. You can also call our Chatom office at 251-847-2237 or our Bay Minette office at 251-651-0483.