Types of Video Evidence in a Car Accident Claim

Video evidence is crucial in car accident claims. Dashcams, cell phone footage, and body cam footage can help prove negligence and establish causation.

Sufficient evidence, especially demonstrative evidence, is arguably the most crucial part of filing a car accident claim, next to hiring an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney. Video evidence obtained legally can be used as evidence to support your claim. 

An experienced attorney can help you determine how to obtain available video evidence. However, you must first understand the types of video evidence admissible in your car accident claim. 

Video Evidence in St. Louis Car Accident Claims

Video footage is one of the strongest forms of evidence for supporting a car accident claim. Here are the main types of video evidence acceptable by law for your car accident claim.

Video From Dashboard Cameras

Dashboard cameras, or dashcams, are cameras that drivers mount on their cars’ dashboards. These compact cameras record all your trips, giving the driver’s perspective of the journey and providing sufficient details on the car’s movement. Some dashcams can even record the interior of the vehicle.

Dash cams are “silent witnesses” in car accident claims since they record every second of the accident. Dashcams with G-sensors save the recording when they sense a forceful impact on the car. Footage from your dashcam is generally admissible in court for car accident claims.

Cell Phone Footage

Cell phone footage is acceptable as evidence for your claim. However, the court must first determine the video’s quality and the recording time. Poor-quality videos and videos without time and location stamps are inadmissible. All smartphone videos are also tested for authenticity before the court accepts them.

Body Cam Footage

Police officers usually respond to road accidents to calm the situation and gather evidence. Some law-enforcement personnel wear body cams strapped on their uniforms to record themselves and their interactions with others.

How Video Evidence Can Prove Negligence in a Car Accident Claim

One of the most powerful uses of video evidence in a car accident claim is to prove the other driver was negligent. Negligence refers to the failure to exercise reasonable care while driving, including speeding, failing to yield, distracted driving, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Video evidence can be particularly effective in proving negligence because it provides a visual record of what happened leading up to the accident. For example, dashcam footage can show that the other driver ran a red light, failed to signal a lane change, or was speeding at the time of the collision. This can help establish that the other driver breached their duty of care to drive safely and therefore was negligent.

Similarly, body cam footage from a police officer who responded to the accident scene can be used to establish the other driver’s level of impairment, if any. If the other driver was slurring their speech, stumbling, or failing a field sobriety test, this could provide compelling evidence that they were driving under the influence and, therefore, negligent.

In addition to proving negligence, video evidence can establish causation, showing that the other driver’s negligence was the direct cause of the accident and your injuries. For example, if dashcam footage shows that the other driver ran a red light and struck your vehicle, this can help demonstrate that their negligence was the direct cause of the accident.

Video evidence can be a powerful tool for proving negligence in a car accident claim. Video footage can help you obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries, lost wages, and other damages by providing a clear and objective record of what happened leading up to the collision.

Speak With a St. Louis Car Accident Attorney

Proper, irrefutable evidence is imperative for a fair settlement after your car accident. An experienced St. Louis car accident attorney at The Hoffmann Law Firm can help you gather video evidence and present it in court to prove driver negligence. This goes a long way toward helping you get the compensation you deserve. Give us a call 24/7 for a free case evaluation.