Can My Dash Cam Footage Be Evidence in a Car Accident Lawsuit?
By now, most of us have seen dash cams in the vehicles of rideshare drivers, delivery drivers, law enforcement, and others. But since this device is now supremely affordable — and beneficial — many people are choosing to use them in their personal vehicles when they're just going about their everyday business.
Do you currently use a dash cam for personal or professional vehicle use? Are you considering getting a dash cam? Moody Law serving Bartow, Tampa, and Lakeland, FL, invites you to learn how dash cam footage can benefit you following a serious car crash.
Dash Cams Gather Crucial Evidence
We are all familiar with major news events that hinge upon footage captured with a smartphone. This high-quality video, which virtually all of us are capable of capturing, is obviously a powerful tool when it comes to gathering the facts of an event. But if no one had time to take out their phone and start recording, the details exist only in witness testimony, which can be unreliable.
Dash cams eliminate this factor because they constantly record while you drive. They can either upload footage to a cloud service or store footage internally, deleting the oldest footage to make room for new footage as it reaches its capacity. Because the camera is always rolling, so to speak, you can expect that any event that happens from the vantage point of your dashboard will be documented.
Identifying the Responsible Party
Dash cams can be invaluable when it comes to identifying who is responsible.
For example, if you are T-boned at an intersection due to another driver failing to stop at a stop sign, the footage your camera captures can support your claim against the other driver by clearly demonstrating them causing your injury. This could even provide evidence to benefit a fellow motorist who is injured due to another driver's erratic driving or traffic violation.
However, it's important to understand that capturing footage like this doesn't necessarily result in an "open and shut" case. For example, the driver who failed to stop may not have seen the stop sign due to overgrowth that the city failed to control. The erratic driver may have been reacting to the effects of a faulty car part. In either case, this footage can help injured parties achieve justice.
Getting a Settlement Rather Than Going to Trial
Moody Law, serving Lakeland, Tampa, Bartow, and beyond, will not hesitate to take your case to trial if they can't negotiate a settlement with an insurance company. But ideally, we aim to get a settlement so that you can collect as soon as possible.
Often, getting the settlement you deserve comes down to being able to demonstrate to the insurance company that the evidence against their client is substantial enough to make a court battle a waste of time and money. Dash cam footage can provide a very compelling reason to pay you what you deserve instead of going to trial.
Talk to Our Attorneys Today
You have two years from the date of an accident to file a personal injury claim in Florida. Don't wait to reach out to our practice, headquartered in Lakeland to request a free consultation. During that time, we can look at your dash cam footage and other evidence to determine if you have a case. If you decide to work with us, we collect nothing unless and until you collect a settlement or jury award.
