Can your dash cam video help win your car accident case?
Dash cams are a powerful tool. Used primarily in police cars, dash cams can be instrumental in recording crimes and police procedures as well as provide an impartial account of what occurred. Due to these multiple benefits, civilians are beginning to use dash cams as a safeguard against traffic accidents.
For example, if you are driving and are hit by a car after its failure to stop at a red light or stop sign, you may be in a tricky situation depending on if there are witnesses. Witnesses can vouch for the events that took place and verify you account of the accident. However, with no witnesses, your insurance claim can be roadblocked since it is your word against the other driver’s. A dash cam video of a car accident, on the other hand, alleviates these problems by providing an unbiased recording of the events.
The only thing that may hamper a dash cam’s effectiveness in a traffic lawsuit is if, prior to the accident, it records distracted driving such as not using your signals. By showing that you may have been carelessly driving will throw doubt on the party to blame and may complicate your case. In short, dash cams are valuable assets to drivers, but how they can be used in court cases will range widely upon the type of accident and the details of the recording.
The proof you need
As you know, a car accident case is a common occurrence and video proof can go a long way in recovering compensation for damage and injuries sustained from the accident. Especially if you have life-altering injuries such as catastrophic head, spinal cord or paralysis, dash cam video proof will be instrumental in making a claim to insurance companies. However, in personal injury court, video is taken seriously and must meet the legal requirement to be submitted as valid evidence. For example, dash cam footage of a public highway can be admitted while footage on a private driveway or restricted area will not.
Proving your case
Obviously, though dash cam video evidence is beneficial to your personal injury case, there is a lot of red tape to navigate before you can use it. To help you determine if your dash cam footage is admissible in court, you will need experienced attorneys for serious car accidents. Gregory Yates, an accomplished attorney and is well equipped in the complex litigation of personal injury court cases. Having already successfully recovered millions for his clients, Yate’s guidance and expertise is key to winning your case in South Dakota.