What is the Value of Dash Cam Footage after a Truck Crash?

Dash cams capture every moment of a truck accident from start to finish. With such footage, you could have evidence to prove your case. It isn’t always easy to obtain dash cam footage, however.

Below, a Buffalo truck accident attorney explains the benefits of dash cam footage for your case.

Dash Cams Capture What Happened During and After the Accident

Nothing escapes the watchful eye of a dash cam. Dash cam footage can prove that:

• You weren’t speeding
• The trucker hit you from behind
• The trucker swerved into your lane 
• The trucker was driving aggressively or erratically
• The trucker stopped in front of you without warning

A camera can also capture things that happen after an accident. For instance, say that a trucker stumbles out of his vehicle, clearly too drunk to drive. He flees before the police can give him an alcohol test. Your footage makes it possible to prove that the trucker was inebriated.

Or perhaps the trucker becomes hostile after an accident. Your dash cam can capture his or her rants and any physical altercations that occur.

Once you hand over such evidence to the insurance company, they’ll likely settle without much argument.

Truck Dash Cams Serve as Valuable Evidence for Your Claim

Your vehicle isn’t the only one equipped with a dash cam. Many commercial trucks have front- and rear-facing dash cams, even though the law doesn’t require them. Trucking companies install dash cams to monitor their drivers, and you can use that footage to benefit your case.

A truck dash cam can reveal driver behaviors such as:

• Talking on the phone
• Eating while driving
• Adjusting the controls on the stereo
• Drinking alcohol while driving
• Failing to watch the road
• Listening to loud music
• Yawning (may indicate fatigue from failing to take mandated breaks)

Dash Cam Footage Can Prevent Insurance Fraud Accusations

The insurance company would love to avoid paying you, and some adjusters will do nearly anything to deny your claim. A few might even accuse you of damaging your car yourself to earn a nice payout.

How can you prove otherwise if your accident happened on an empty stretch of road with no witnesses? With a dash cam, you and your Buffalo truck accident attorney can easily stop insurance fraud accusations in their tracks.

Dash Cams Can Keep You Safe

Encountering aggressive behavior from truck drivers following an accident can be unsettling. If you find yourself in a situation where a driver exits their truck in a confrontational manner, it can understandably be alarming. There are steps you can take to defuse the situation. 

For instance, if the driver is behaving aggressively, calmly inform them that you’re recording the interaction with your dash cam. This acknowledgment alone may be enough to deter further aggression. If the situation escalates, call the police. Having recorded evidence can be invaluable and provide crucial information regarding the other driver’s behavior. This evidence can help support your case.

Contact a Buffalo Truck Collision Lawyer 

If you made the smart move of installing a dash cam in your car, that footage could be all the proof you need to win your case. To find out whether you can use your dash cam footage as evidence, reach out to Cantor, Wolff, Nicastro & Hall LLC. A truck accident attorney in Buffalo can also identify responsible parties and negotiate with the insurance company for a fair settlement.

For a free consultation with a Buffalo truck accident attorney, contact us online or call (716) 848-8000.