The Importance of Dash Cameras
Dash Cameras and Your Glendale Auto Accident Case
Your dashboard camera, commonly known as the dashcam, has now become a key accessory in many vehicles. A dash cam is a small video camera that can be mounted to your car’s dashboard or windshield unless you’re driving a Tesla. Luckily for some, Teslas are equipped with dash cams. Most cameras will record what happens in front of the vehicle at a wider angle. More advanced dash cam models can also record interior audio and video, provide rear-facing video. If an auto accident occurs and you have a recording of the incident, then you have the advantage of showing your Glendale auto accident attorney and your insurance company what really happened and who was or was not at fault.
How Can a Video Evidence Help the Plaintiff in a Personal Injury Case?
Lane Change Accidents
It should not be a surprise that in California, anyone operating a vehicle must follow the proper procedure when changing lanes. 22107 CVC states – “No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement”.
Sadly, improper lane changing methods are a common cause of highway and roadway crashes. Even when a driver is adamant that they are not at fault for the accident, proving lane change car accident liability in court or to an insurance company can be tricky. Therefore, investing in dash cams, in the long run, will pay dividends if a car crash leads to an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit in court.
Hit and Run Accidents
A hit and run is when a driver hits another car or a person or a fixed object and fails to stop to provide their insurance and license information after a car crash. Accidents happen even when you are a responsible driver. When another driver crashes into your car and leaves the scene of the accident, it is often difficult to prove that he or she even hit your vehicle. Having a dash camera in a hit-and-run accident can prove to your insurance company that another driver is in fact responsible for causing the accident. You can have a solid Uninsured Motorist (UM) claim against your insurance company if you have Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage on your automobile policy. Without a dash cam, it would be more difficult to prove and establish liability, even more so, that a hit and run driver caused the crash. Remember, calling 911 after a hit-and-run accident is crucial.
Disputed Liability Accidents
When liability is disputed, it is crucial to get an attorney involved without delay. Your attorney can start the investigation early on and collect evidence and move the case forward in a way that your rights of recovery are not crushed. Disputed liability cases mostly end up in litigation – if a client has a dash camera showing they’re not at fault for the accident, then this evidence would move the insurance companies to accept liability. It is always advised however to have your Glendale car accident attorney review all the evidence before any of it is submitted to the insurance companies involved.