Evidence After a Car Accident: Police Reports and Dashcam Video

Evidence from a car crash starts to disappear within hours. Vehicles get towed and repaired, video gets recorded over and witnesses become harder to find. An auto accident lawyer usually looks first at the police report and any photos or video, then the data stored in the vehicles. This article explains how each source fits into a claim.

The crash report

When officers respond to a crash, they usually prepare a crash report, often 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. Many states also require drivers to report crashes that involve injury, death or property damage above a set amount. Copies usually come from the responding agency, whether that is a city police department, a sheriff's office or the state highway patrol, sometimes for a fee.

A crash report is influential in insurance claims, but it is not the final word on fault. States differ on whether an officer's opinions can be used at trial. 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 crash attorney will compare the report with the photos and statements.

Dashcam video and photographs

Dashcam video can show the moments before a crash better than a witness can. Save the original file with its date and time stamp, rather than 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, while photos of injuries taken over several weeks can document healing.

The event data recorder

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, it may record speed and braking, along with 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 access by others is limited to situations such as owner 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 that the vehicle be held until the data is downloaded.

Witness statements and medical records

Independent witnesses carry weight because they have no stake in the claim. Their names and phone numbers should be collected at the scene if it is safe to do so. 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. Pain levels, missed work and appointments are worth noting in a journal while the details are fresh. This is general https://mariolhwy344.clearhavendigest.com/posts/police-reports-dashcam-video-and-car-crash-evidence-2 information rather than legal advice, and it does not predict the result of any claim.