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If you got injured in a car crash and you or the other driver had a dashboard camera that recorded the incident, you need to know the impacts of dash cam footage on car accident cases in New Jersey. Often, there are disputes about who was at fault, and dash cam footage could be valuable evidence, but only if our state’s laws allow the use of the videos in car accident cases.
Evidentiary rules are sophisticated legal matters, so you will want to work with a New Jersey car accident attorney on your car crash case. You could lose an “open and shut” injury case if you cannot get your evidence in front of the judge or jury.
Can Dashboard Camera Footage Get Used as Evidence in New Jersey Car Collision Cases?
Yes, it can be admissible in court under certain circumstances. The dash cam must be properly mounted in compliance with New Jersey law, which controls where the camera can be located in the vehicle. Also, you must operate the dash cam within the boundaries of New Jersey law if you want the footage to be admissible in court. For example, you must warn people if your dash cam records audio.
The Value of Dash Cam Footage in Car Accident Injury Claims in New Jersey
When the parties to a collision disagree about what happened that caused the crash, dash cam footage could resolve the dispute by showing what actually transpired. Of course, if the dash cam was not active or did not have a good angle on the specific action that caused the accident, the footage might have little, if any, value.
For example, if the dashcam only recorded the field of vision in front of the car and the defendant rear-ended the vehicle or crashed into the side of the car, the dash cam might not provide valuable evidence.
Also, some dash cams record the speed of the vehicle in which the dash cam is installed. If the other driver falsely accuses you of causing the collision because of speeding, the dash cam can refute this allegation. On the other hand, if you were speeding at the time of the crash, the dash cam footage could get used against you.
Dash Cam Footage Can Be Useful When Negotiating a Settlement with the At-Fault Party’s Insurer
The vast majority of personal injury cases do not go to trial because they get resolved by settlement or some other resolution. Your personal injury lawyer could use the dash cam footage in settlement negotiations to prove your case and make the defendant’s insurance company realize that they would be likely to lose at trial.
Another advantage of having a dashboard camera mounted in your vehicle is that it could make the at-fault driver less likely to try to lie their way out of liability if they suspect that the footage would prove their deception. Some people go so far as to falsely accuse the other driver of being at fault to escape financial liability. While dash cam footage can be valuable evidence, you will want to work with a New Jersey personal injury attorney on your claim to safeguard the admissibility of the evidence and to fight for the compensation that you deserve for your injuries and other losses. You can reach out to us today for an initial consultation at no charge.