Can a Dash Cam Help Your Car Accident Claim?

Car Accident |September 23rd, 2021

Technology has provided multiple items that make driving more pleasurable and safer. Instead of pushing play on your car’s cassette or C.D. player, you can simply ask Siri to start your playlist and turn up the volume with the little buttons behind your steering wheel. Many of today’s vehicles have backup cameras to help drivers safely pull out of parking spots, and some even have crash avoidance systems.

With various new technologies, you might wonder if installing a dash cam in your vehicle is worth it. Dash cams are not as new as you may think. Police cars in New Orleans and throughout the nation have been using them for years. However, most average drivers do not have dash cams. Drivers mount these small cameras on their vehicle’s dashboard and aim them at the windshield. The camera records everything that occurs on the road while a driver is operating a vehicle.

If you caused a car accident, a dash cam could provide solid evidence that you were at fault, opening yourself up to liability for damages related to the accident. This certainly won’t be helpful to you. However, when you file a car accident claim because someone else caused an accident, having a dash cam in your vehicle can help. 

Ways Dash Cam Footage Helps After a Car Accident

When the other side heavily disputes your car accident claim, footage from your dash cam can be valuable evidence that supports your claim. Police reports and eyewitness statements only provide a narrative of how the car crash happened. In most cases, law enforcement must piece together statements because they did not witness the crash. A dash cam can help you by providing key evidence, preventing your insurance premiums from rising, preventing insurance fraud, and reducing the length of time it takes you to resolve your car accident claim.

Providing Key Evidence to Support Your Claim

A dash cam captures what happens during an accident and provides visual evidence that goes along with the narrative provided in other reports. Also, it tells your version of the story more clearly than you can. Explaining how an accident happens is not always easy, and dash cam footage makes it easy. Unfortunately, some drivers lie about their role in an accident to avoid citations and/or liability. Dash cams record things that make it difficult for other drivers to give false statements. Examples of things dash cams record include:

• A driver who cuts in front of you in traffic

• A driver who runs a stoplight or stop sign

• A driver who fails to yield to you when you have the right-of-way

Dash cam footage ultimately can prove if the driver broke any traffic regulations and release you of any fault for your car accident claim. A dash cam is especially beneficial if a hit-and-run driver leaves the scene of the accident. At the very least, camera footage provides the make and model of the vehicle, but sometimes footage also shows license plates, making it easy for New Orleans Police to track down the driver.

Preventing an Increase in Auto Insurance Premiums

When you have enough of the right evidence to prove you did not contribute to the cause of a car accident, it’s unlikely your auto insurance provider will increase your premiums. The varied statements from witnesses and the police officer’s story about how the accident happened can sometimes be cloudy. Dash cam footage supports your claim and makes it difficult for the other side to shift blame your way. However, keep in mind that not all auto insurance carriers accept dash cam footage as reliable evidence for a claim. Yet, your attorney can search nearby video surveillance footage, traffic cams, and other sources of photographic evidence to support the footage and your claim.

Preventing Insurance Fraud

Unfortunately, morally bankrupt people sometimes choose to commit insurance fraud. They purposefully cause a car accident, blame the other driver, and attempt to extort money from the driver. These scammers look for drivers in high-end vehicles to have the best chance of getting money from the driver or the driver’s insurance company. They might claim they have a hidden injury, such as whiplash or a painful back injury. They use this to demand money for medical bills, lost wages, and their pain and suffering. Not all scammers are smart enough to look for a dash cam, and many are difficult to spot ahead of time. Putting a dash cam in your car ensures you won’t fall victim to a scammer trying to get money from you or your insurance company.

Fast-tracking Your Car Accident Claim

Video footage from your dash cam can be one of the most compelling pieces of evidence for your car accident claim. If the insurance companies involved accept the quality of the footage, they do not have to spend hours sorting through witness statements, reviewing photographic evidence, and speaking to witnesses. Additionally, having dash cam footage means you do not have to engage in repeated conversations about the crash with your insurance provider because it replaces your verbal account of the crash. Many car accident claims take months to settle, especially when disputes over liability exist. Dash cam footage fast-tracks claims because it removes doubt and questions that are present in some claims.

Get the Legal Help You Need After a New Orleans Car Accident

The reality of the situation is that a dash cam can help your car accident claim, but the footage is not typically enough by itself. It’s in your best interest to consult with an experienced car accident attorney to help you get the best outcome for your claim. The skilled legal team at Alvendia Kelly & Demarest has helped hundreds of car accident victims with their claims. They understand how to make your dash cam footage work to your advantage. Contact us today online or at (504)200-0000 for a free case evaluation and learn more about how we can help.