Car Accidents and Dashcams

Back in the 1980's, there was a shift toward outfitting law enforcement vehicles with cameras that record what goes on both inside and outside police cruisers. Now, the late model vehicles we purchase can be similarly outfitted, and this shift is affecting the landscape of car accidents. The interplay between car accidents and dashcams signals a new frontier in terms of verifying fault in a wide range of challenging accident claims, which is good news for many accident victims. If you have been injured by another driver's negligence, you should consider reaching out to the experienced Tennessee car accident attorneys at Labrum Law (615-338-9500) for the professional legal guidance you need.

How They Work

Dashcams are nothing more than small video cameras that are mounted on the dashboards of newer vehicles and that can be positioned to record what is happening on the road ahead or in the backseat (generally for taxi drivers, rideshare drivers, and parents). More and more people who are not involved in law enforcement are turning to dashcams for liability purposes – to document car accidents as they unfold in the following ways:

• Serving as eyewitness testimony in someone else's car accident claim
• documenting another driver's negligence in one's own car accident

Are They Legal?

Different states have different laws, rules, and restrictions related to dashcams, and knowing what these are in your state is important. While you cannot mount a GPS system or a dashcam on the windshield of your vehicle in the State of Tennessee, there are no restrictions related to mounting a dashcam on a car's dash (according to GPS Trackit, a high-tech fleet management company). The goal of this restriction is to allow every driver a clear view of the road ahead.

Will My Dashcam Help My Car Accident Claim?

If you have been injured by another driver's negligence, you naturally have a wide range of critical questions about protecting your rights and seeking your rightful compensation. And if you have a dashcam installed in your car, you may wonder if it can help. The fact is that, while it is quite obvious who is at fault in some car accidents, this is not always the case. When car accidents and dashcams naturally align is when the question of liability is unclear – and the available footage succinctly captures the events in question. The factors that can make your dashcam footage most beneficial to your car accident claim include:

• Your camera captured footage that is relevant to your claim.
• Your footage supports your claim of the other driver's negligence.
• The footage is clear and accurately depicts the events that transpired (grainy footage or poorly lit footage is unlikely to be useful).

It is important to note that the leadup to the accident will also be recorded and may also come into play. The bottom line here is that car accident claims are challenging, and what you think backs up your position related to the other driver's negligence could – in the end – undermine your claim. Working closely with a dedicated Tennessee car accident attorney at Labrum Law is the surest way to help protect your legal rights throughout the claims process.

Car Accidents and Dashcams: When They Are Most Useful

There are specific situations when dashcams can be of particular usefulness.

Hit and Run Accidents

Hit and run accidents are more common than you may realize, and they are exceptionally difficult to resolve because the at-fault drivers flee the scene – rendering them nearly impossible to find in many situations. Dashcams make finding motorists who hit and run a far greater possibility and allow accident victims to seek just compensation for the legal damages they sustain as a result.

The Tactics of Insurance Companies

While the at-fault motorist's car insurance provider is in the business of covering the losses of accident victims like you, this does not mean that obtaining a fair settlement is going to be an easy endeavor. Insurance companies are profit focused, and they employ a variety of tactics that help them keep their profits sound and their settlements low. Dashcam footage, however, can help expedite the process and can help keep the insurance company's focus where it should be (on covering the losses caused by its policyholder's negligence). Some of the tactics a dashcam can help thwart include:

• The insurance company's attempt to deny a specific claim out of hand
• The insurance company's attempt to shift fault in an accident away from its policyholder and toward the claimant (with the dashcam evidence)
• The insurance company's attempt to artificially complicate or prolong a specific claim's path forward

Dashcam footage can serve as irrefutable evidence that is difficult for the insurance company to misconstrue or deny.

Car Accidents and Dashcams: Identifying Driver Negligence

Car accident claims are based on driver negligence, and a dashcam can help make pinpointing the other driver's negligence in your claim less ambiguous

Distraction

Distracted drivers (according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) are dangerous at any speed. While it can be difficult to distinguish from the outside whether a motorist is impaired, distracted, or exhausted behind the wheel, the dangerous nature of a distracted driver's actions is not hard to spot.

Impairment

Impairment generally leads to erratic driving that can be picked up on dashcam footage.

Failure to Follow the Rules of the Road

If the other motorist blows through a red light or refuses to yield the right-of-way in accordance with the law, your dashcam footage may help.

Excess Speed

Excess speed plays a pivotal role in far too many fatal car accident statistics, and dashcam footage may help you demonstrate the other driver's excessive speed.

Turn to an Experienced Tennessee Car Accident Attorney for the Focused Legal Guidance You Require

The accomplished Tennessee car accident attorneys at Labrum Law have experience successfully guiding claims involving car accidents. Learn more about whether or not your dashcam footage could help you obtain compensation for your injuries and losses after your car accident. Call our legal team at 615-338-9500 today.