How Crash Reports and Dashcam Video Shape an Auto Accident Claim
Evidence from a car crash starts to disappear within hours. Vehicles get towed and repaired, video gets recorded over and witnesses become hard to reach. A car accident attorney usually looks first at the police report and any photos or video, then the data stored in the vehicles. Here is how each source fits into a claim.
The police report
When officers respond to a crash, they usually prepare a crash report, sometimes called a police report. It usually records who was driving each vehicle and which insurer covers it, and it often includes a diagram, a short narrative and any citations. In many states, drivers must also report crashes involving injury, death or property damage above a set dollar amount. Copies are usually available from the agency that responded, such as a city police department, a sheriff's office or the state highway patrol, sometimes for a fee.
Insurers rely heavily on the crash report, but it does not decide fault. Rules on using an officer's opinions at trial vary by state. If the report contains a factual error, such as a wrong plate number, the agency may accept a request for a correction or a supplement. An auto accident attorney will compare the report with the photos and statements.
Photos and dashcam footage
Dashcam footage can capture the seconds before a crash better than a witness can. Keep the original file with its timestamp, rather than a phone recording of the screen, and store a backup copy. Nearby businesses, buses and traffic cameras may have recorded the crash too, though many systems record over footage within days or weeks. Scene photos can show where the vehicles stopped and the debris and skid marks around them, and https://caraccidentlawyers.wiki/reference/lawyers-and-fees/ photos of injuries taken over several weeks can show how they changed.
The car's own black box
Many cars and light trucks carry an event data recorder (EDR). NHTSA describes an EDR as a device that records technical vehicle and occupant information for a brief period, seconds rather than minutes, around the time of a crash. Depending on the vehicle, it may record speed and braking, along with seat belt use. NHTSA's rule in 49 CFR Part 563 sets requirements for EDRs in light vehicles that have them. Under the Driver Privacy Act of 2015, EDR data generally belongs to the vehicle owner or lessee, and others may access it only in limited situations, such as with the owner's consent or a court order.
EDR data can be lost when a car is repaired or sold for salvage. Total loss vehicles are often moved to salvage auctions within weeks, so an automobile accident attorney may send a preservation letter asking the insurer or tow yard to hold the vehicle until the data is downloaded.
Witnesses and medical records
Witnesses with no stake in the claim often carry weight. Their names and phone numbers should be collected at the scene if it is safe to do so. Medical records link the injuries to the crash, and gaps in treatment are often used by insurers to dispute a claim. A simple file with the claim number and a log of every call with the adjuster makes later questions easier to answer. A short journal of pain levels and missed work, written while the details are fresh, can also help. This article is general information, not legal advice, and no result can be predicted from it.