The Role of Dashcam Footage in Colorado Auto Accident Cases
If you have been involved in a car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation if you have the evidence that proves that the other driver was to blame. The Colorado car accident lawyers at The Frickey Law Firm can investigate your accident and gather evidence that supports your case.
Dash cam footage is admissible in Colorado car accident cases provided that it is:
- Relevant
- Authenticated
- Has the proper chain of custody
- Does not otherwise run afoul of Colorado Rules of Evidence
Dash cam footage can be an important source of evidence in your car accident case if you or someone in the vicinity was able to record either the crash or the events leading up to it.
Schedule a free initial consultation with the car accident lawyers at The Frickey Law Firm to discuss your case. It is essential that you do this as soon as possible after your car accident.
Dash Cams Are Legal in Colorado and Can Be Helpful
When you are seeking compensation for a car accident injury, your attorney may use a number of sources of evidence to help prove your case. Your core legal obligation is to prove that the other driver was negligent in the circumstances surrounding the crash. There are numerous pathways to this end. Dash cam footage can be helpful in proving your accident case, but you also need to be careful about how you use it.
Colorado law allows drivers to mount dash cams in their cars, provided that they meet certain requirements. The dash cam must be mounted in a certain place, and it cannot block the driver’s view of the road. Drivers are increasingly turning to dash cams to protect themselves in the event of a car accident. Still, it is relatively rare for a dash cam to capture footage of an actual accident. If it does, it can be valuable evidence in your case. Dash cam footage can be used to either prove that the other driver was liable or to help you beat back any wrongful claims that you were at fault.
Dash Cam Footage Can Strengthen Your Case
The most common and helpful form of car accident evidence is witness testimony. Here, objective third parties who saw what happened would give a statement that would relate to what the other driver did. However, this type of evidence is not always available. Furthermore, you may need additional sources to help augment and back up your claim.
It is possible that you could use this footage as part of an insurance claim or lawsuit. Like any form of physical evidence, dashcam footage must be authenticated before it can be introduced into a trial. Having a direct recording of what happened could even tell the story of your accident for you and leave it completely unambiguous what actually occurred. When an insurance company is able to view the actual accident, they may have very few ways to dispute liability in your case. If the insurance company is trying to blame you for the crash, your car accident attorney may turn to dashcam recordings to exonerate you from their allegations.
Dash Cam Footage Can Also Undermine Your Case
Just like you can use dashcam footage in your favor, it can also be used against you. In this way, dash cam footage can be a double-edged sword. The insurance company may use it to raise questions about your conduct and what you were doing at the time of the accident. Insurance companies may attempt to reduce your compensation if they think that you were partially to blame for the accident. When there is dashcam footage of the crash, there may be specific proof that the insurance company can use to question you, leaving you in a position where you need to defend yourself.
You Must Properly Preserve Dash Cam Evidence
If you or someone else has actual video footage of the accident, it is crucial that you preserve it to the fullest extent possible. As soon as you hire a car accident attorney, you should give them the footage while retaining a copy for yourself. How you manage and handle the footage can be crucial in whether it is admissible in court. Do not make any attempts to edit or change it in any way. It is essential that you maintain the appropriate chain of custody of the evidence to ensure that it would be admissible.
Contact a Colorado Car Accident Law Firm Today
When you need legal help after a motor vehicle crash, reach out to the Colorado car accident attorneys at The Frickey Law Firm. You can speak to one of our car accident lawyers by calling us today at 303-237-7373.
Adam M. McClure was recently selected for membership in “The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40” organization, making him one of only 40 Colorado lawyers to be awarded this honor. Mr. McClure is an exceptional litigator. He has been a key member of The Frickey Law Firm since 2003. Learn more here.