How Video of Your Accident Can Impact Your Case

Dashboard cameras, or dash cams, are a very great tool to have in your car. These devices can provide footage of your daily commute and any incidents that may occur during your commute. There are a plethora of dash cam footage on YouTube of incidents where a car was vandalized while the owner was away, equipment malfunctions in a car, or car accidents. When filing a claim for an accident, dash cam footage can come in handy, as this indisputable video can help your claim.

Think about it for a second. If someone says you caused an injury or other significant damage, the video footage may be able to vindicate you. Having a dashboard camera plays to your benefit in the event of an incident. It provides you with security and a right to defend yourself should allegations be made.

Dashboard Cameras

There are a variety of dash cams on the market, each with their own set of attributes. Some dash cams are motion-triggered, some have different mounting points and many film video in high definition. Most dash cams have timestamps, which is crucial when determining the weight that your cam footage will have. According to Lopez & Humphries, "it's most common for the finger to be pointed at the driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash." Make sure that you are covered so that this finger-pointing doesn't occur or have a negative impact on the situation.

When you purchase a dashboard camera, you will want to pay attention to each of these attributes because they will determine the amount of security that you have. A dashboard camera that is motion-triggered, for example, will allow the camera to remain on standby until someone moves near the car; a feature that is especially great for parking lots.

Your Insurance Claim

Any dashboard camera footage that you may capture during an accident will be taken into account, by your insurance company, to determine what occurred during the crash. This footage should be able to support your claim and will determine the validity of all of the reports.

One word of advice is to send the dashcam footage and any other photos to your insurance provider as quickly as possible. They can disseminate the video and footage and note that you contacted them immediately.

Legality

Many police cars are equipped with dashboard cameras so that, in the event of an incident, the footage can be reviewed to determine what happened. Depending on your state's laws, the footage recorded by your dashboard camera should be legal and permissible. However, some states do not legally allow parties to record each other without consent from one another; video recording or audio recording may be legal, without permission, depending on the law. It is best to consult a lawyer, in your state, to determine if your dashcam footage will be legal.

Conclusion

Dashboard cameras provide a recollection of what may have occurred during an accident. These cameras offer evidence that can be used by an insurance company, police department, and courtroom to determine the party at fault during a car accident. Depending on your choice of dash cam, you can increase the validity of your claims through the various features that are available on the market.