Evidence After a Car Accident: Police Reports and Dashcam Video
The evidence in a car crash claim starts to scatter within hours. Cars are towed and repaired, video is overwritten and witnesses become harder to find. A car accident lawyer usually looks first at the police report, photos, video and the data stored in the vehicles. Here is how each source fits into a claim.
The crash report
Officers who respond to a crash 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 https://caraccidentlawyers.wiki/reference/property-damage/ 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. A car accident lawyer will check the report against the photos and statements.
Dashcam video and photographs
Dashcam footage can capture the seconds before a crash better than a witness can. Keep the original file with its timestamp, instead of a phone recording of the screen, and store a backup copy. Traffic cameras and nearby businesses may also have recorded the crash, but many systems overwrite footage within days or weeks. Photos taken at the scene show vehicle positions, debris, skid marks and road signs, and photos of injuries taken over several weeks can show how they changed.
What the vehicle itself recorded
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, measured in seconds, not minutes, surrounding a crash. Depending on the vehicle, the data may include speed and brake application as well as 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 a motor vehicle accident lawyer may send a preservation letter asking the insurer or tow yard to hold the vehicle until the data is downloaded.
Witness statements and medical records
Witnesses with no stake in the claim often carry weight. Collect their names and phone numbers at the scene when it is safe. Medical records link the injuries to the crash, and insurers often point to gaps in treatment to dispute a claim. Keeping the claim number in one place, with a log of each call to 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 is general information rather than legal advice, and no result can be predicted from it.