If you have been a victim of a car accident in Seattle, Washington, you are probably in the process of filing a car accident claim. If the accident was not your fault, you may be entitled to certain damages, such as compensation to help you cover medical care or property damage. The good news is that dashcam evidence is becoming more common in Seattle car accident cases, providing a valuable way of proving fault.
At NBF Accident Law, our auto accident attorneys in Washington can help you navigate the process of filing a strong car accident claim. Our attorneys help victims of car accidents by assisting with every aspect of filing a claim, such as gathering critical evidence and negotiating with the insurance companies to get a settlement.
Can Dashcam Footage be Used as Evidence in Seattle Car Accident Cases?
You may be curious about Washington state dashcam laws if you want to use dashcam evidence for your car accident case. The good news is that dashcams are legal, and dashcam footage is almost always admissible. Dashcam footage is admissible even if it does not come from your vehicle but from a vehicle that still caught the accident on camera, whether that be a witness or the other driver.
Another thing that you may want to know about dashcam evidence in Seattle is that deleted footage may also be used to support your claim. For instance, if the driver at fault had a dashcam but deleted the footage before you could access it, a jury may be able to presume that the footage supports your claim and proves that the other driver was at fault.
Dashcam footage can be used in court and it comes with many benefits for victims of car accidents. For instance, having dashcam footage can help remove all doubt when it comes to who was at fault. Without footage of the accident, the jury and judge will have to be convinced about the details of how the accident occurred since they did not witness it.
Overall, people tend to believe facts if they are able to see them with their own eyes, so having any kind of footage is always going to be incredibly beneficial for your case.
How to Use Dashcam Footage For Your Case
Dashcams are designed to capture as much footage as possible of the road, the way the vehicle is driving, and other vehicles on the road. That is why the dashcam footage can be incredibly beneficial, as it tends to capture more evidence than other types of video cameras.
Dashcam footage is often used to prove that a driver was at fault by capturing how the accident occurred. It could capture footage of a vehicle side swiping you or causing a collision if they were driving recklessly. The footage can even be used in hit-and-run cases by capturing the make and color of the vehicle and the drivers license plate.
Protecting Critical Dashcam Footage After an Accident
After being involved in a Seattle, Washington car accident, one of your first priorities needs to be preserving dashcam footage. If you have a dashcam in your vehicle, you need to make sure it is preserving the footage as it is captured. Most dashcams will do this automatically, but it doesn’t hurt to double-check as glitches can occur or the database may need to be updated.
You should also consider backing up the footage on another secure device, such as a computer, laptop, or hard drive. Some dashcams will start deleting footage as it fills up, so this ensures it will not be lost. If your dashcam was damaged in the car accident, you may be able to take it to a repair shop to have the footage accessed and saved.
If you do not have a dashcam but the other driver does, you need to hire a car accident attorney to help you ensure this footage is preserved and not deleted. An attorney can request the footage and take the necessary steps to ensure it becomes a part of your case. Your attorney can also help if a witness has a dashcam that catches the details of the accident.
How to Protect Yourself With Dashcams in Washington
If you do not already have a dashcam set up in your vehicle, now is the time to take this step to better protect yourself from any future accidents in Seattle. Here are some tips for purchasing, installing, and maintaining a dashcam:
- Choose a dashcam that can store a significant amount of footage, is suitable for your vehicle, fits your budget, and records clear footage.
- Consider getting a G-sensor, which helps to detect collisions and automatically preserve footage of accidents.
- Get a dashcam that has a parking mode, which can help to capture footage if a vehicle hits your car when it is parked.
- Look for a dashcam with night vision so that the footage is always clear, no matter what time of day it is captured.
- Once you install your dashcam, regularly check it to ensure it is capturing footage and preserving it.
- Periodically clean the dashcam to ensure the lenses are free of debris or smudges that could compromise the quality of the footage.
- Follow the instructions for securely mounting the dashcam to avoid the risk of it falling and breaking in the instance of a collision.
Contact an Auto Accident Attorney at NBF Accident Law
Is dashcam footage admissible in court? The good news is that dashcam evidence can help your car accident case by proving who was at fault so that you can get the compensation you deserve.
At NBF Accident Law, our car accident lawyers will fight purposefully and tirelessly to help you get the compensation you need to cover your damages. We will assist you in filing a claim, gathering necessary evidence, and representing you when it comes to negotiating a settlement amount.
Contact us today at 206-923-8888 to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys in Seattle, Washington.
