The Role of Dash Cam Footage in Oklahoma Car Accident Injury Cases

When you’re involved in an Oklahoma car accident, having as much evidence as possible can really strengthen your case and help you fight for compensation. One form of evidence that has become much more widespread in recent years is dash cam footage. If you look back less than a decade, only people with lots of disposable income and high-end vehicles had dash cams; now, dash cams are so affordable and easy to install that anyone can get one.

If you have dash cam footage of a crash, knowing how to use it is key. That’s where we step in.  Call us to discuss your case with our car accident lawyers.

Dash cam footage as evidence 

Dash cam footage may be one of the strongest pieces of evidence you have. Unlike some other pieces of evidence, it’s relatively neutral and objective. Drivers’ statements are limited by their role in the crash and memory, and eyewitnesses’ memories will fade with time.

In comparison, dash cam footage simply shows what happened. While it’s obviously only from one driver’s point of view, what it actually shows isn’t clouded by bias. This can go either way, of course. Video footage can support or weaken the case of the driver who provides it, but this objectivity is one of its strengths. Insurance adjusters and attorneys can poke holes in victims’ statements and even police reports, but it’s hard to argue with obvious video footage highlighting their client’s errors.

Dash cam recordings are especially important if you’re unfortunate enough to be involved in a hit-and-run. When you’re reeling from a collision, you may not be able to catch the other driver’s license plate number or even the type of car they are in. Your dash cam may help you hold them accountable.

How footage is used in complex cases

While video footage is useful in any car accident claim, it’s particularly helpful in complex car accident cases. Consider a straightforward rear-end crash—the damage to both vehicles is predictable, one or both sides’ stories match the damage, and the accident occurred at an intersection where rear-end collisions are common. In this type of case, dash cam footage could supplement your claim, but it wouldn’t do more than confirm what you already knew.

But think about a more complex car accident—for example, a multi-car pileup. In that scenario, there are many different ways the cars could end up in their respective positions. The very last car could have hit the second-to-last car at high speed, rapidly pushing all the vehicles in front into each other. Or one of the middle cars could have hit the car in front of it first, but the vehicles behind them were too close and piled up. When there are so many factors at play, figuring out liability can be a significant challenge. Dash cam footage cuts through the conflicting stories presented by drivers and provides compelling evidence.

Corroborating your claims 

One of the major benefits of having dash cam footage is its ability to corroborate your statements. In many car accident claims, it ends up being a case of “he said she said.” This makes it very difficult for police officers, insurance adjusters, and attorneys to get to the truth of the matter. For victims, it adds insult to injury—not only are they dealing with an injury because of another person’s unsafe driving, but they also have to fight to prove the other person’s liability.

High-quality dash cam footage can save a lot of time in these situations. You can’t always rely on other people to do the right thing, but you can rely on dash cam footage to prove what actually happened during a disputed crash.

Getting the footage you need

 Video footage won’t help your claim if it doesn’t include the collision or is too low-quality to be of any use. Choosing the right dash cam matters. At a minimum, you should have one capturing what is happening in front of you and one pointing out the back window. A front-view camera can capture some sideswipe accidents when people cut you off. Rear-view cameras capture rear-end collisions; since this is the most common type of accident, having a rear camera could pay off one day.  Cameras showing the interior of a vehicle are also beneficial as they can show the forces on the body and any impact the occupants make with the interior of the vehicle.

You should also ensure that the camera you choose records high-quality footage. Full HD resolution provides enough clarity and detail for most accidents, but if you want to go one step further in protecting yourself, consider a 2K or 4K camera. This type of camera is more likely to get usable photos of drivers and license plates.

After installing your dash cams, go for a drive and check out the footage you get. This will show you if you need to adjust the angles or location at all.

Potential weaknesses of dash cam footage

While dash cam footage has numerous benefits in a car crash claim, it’s not without fault. To start, dash cam footage is only as good as the driver’s setup is. If you set up a camera and never check the quality of the footage, you could get in a crash only to find out that your camera angle completely missed it. Beyond that, even the best dash cams have a limited field of view. While most dash cams will catch some of a collision, few will catch every aspect of a crash. If you want full coverage, you may have to pay more for a more complex camera setup. And remember not to obstruct your view with the camera, as this can be a legal violation.

There’s also the potential for self-incrimination. You may think that the other party caused the crash, only to find out after reviewing the footage that you erred. At that point, though, the other driver may be aware of the footage and the evidence should be preserved.

Finally, the other party may contest the reliability of the footage. If the footage cuts in and out or looks suspicious in any way, they may claim that you tampered with it. Not only does that throw the trustworthiness of the footage into question, it also makes you appear less reliable in the eyes of the court.

Despite these issues, if you are truly fault free, dash cam footage will help strengthen your claims in most circumstances if used correctly. Consulting an Oklahoma car accident lawyer early in the process gives them a chance to use your dash cam recording to its full potential.

Call us today to discuss your legal options

With the team at Biby Law Firm, you can fight for fair compensation after an Oklahoma crash. Set up a consultation with our Oklahoma car accident lawyers now by calling or sending us a message online.