Can Lawyers Obtain Dash Cam Footage from Other Drivers?

July 28, 2021

The short answer is yes, your lawyer may be able to obtain dash cam footage of your car from a dash camera that was not in your vehicle. However, it might not be necessary for your case, as your lawyer may be able to validate your case with other evidence.

It is important to hire an experienced attorney so he or she can help you determine how best to validate your case. An experienced attorney should know what he or she will need to prove liability and the appropriate steps to take to obtain that information.

Below, learn more about how dash cam footage could help validate a case and why you may want to consider installing a camera in your car. There are many benefits to having a dashboard camera.

Obtaining Dash Cam Footage

If you have a dash camera, you should immediately inform your attorney and provide him or her with the footage. This could be all the evidence you need to win your case and obtain compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Be careful not to tamper with footage from a dash cam. Selectively deleting footage from a dash camera could be considered a crime. This footage may be evidence in a legal proceeding and a lawyer for the other party may file a subpoena to obtain it.

However, if the dash camera that captured the crash was in the at-fault driver’s car, he or she is unlikely to voluntarily hand anything over. You likely need a lawyer to formally request this footage. Since the footage may contain vital evidence about the cause of the crash, the other side may be required by law to hand it over.

After the crash, you may want to ask the other driver if he or she has a dashboard camera. You can also look at the windshield to spot such a camera.

Sometimes the placement of the dash camera in the other driver’s car can be an issue in a claim for compensation. State law requires these cameras to be placed in a seven-inch square in the far corner away from the driver or within a five-inch square in the lower corner closest to the driver. If the dash camera is not in one of these locations, the driver could receive a traffic ticket.

If the other driver received a ticket for illegal placement of the camera, it is possible the camera obstructed his or her view out of the windshield. This may have contributed to the crash.

Should You Install a Dash Cam in Your Car?

Dash cameras may not only provide footage to use in a car crash claim, but also to catch thieves and vandals. You may be able to provide the footage to police so they can identify the people who vandalized your vehicle or stole items from it.

You may also want to install a dash cam in your teenager’s car to see how he or she is driving. If you notice concerning behaviors, you can discuss them with your child. These conversations could help encourage your child to be a defensive driver and prevent him or her from getting into a serious crash.

You can leave the camera running when you take your car to a mechanic to be repaired. You can also see what happened when you lent your car to friends or relatives.

Even though there are other forms of evidence for validating car crash claims, video footage could save you a lot of time. If your lawyer can build a strong case, the insurance company may be more likely to offer fair compensation for your damages. Insurance companies usually want to avoid the extra time and money that comes with going to court.

Contact Phillips Law Group Today to Schedule a Free Legal Consultation

Proving a car crash case can be more complicated than you realize. If the insurance company denies your claim or assigns you a significant amount of fault, you likely need an attorney to strengthen your case.

Our Phoenix-based car accident lawyers have decades of combined experience recovering compensation for auto accident victims. We know how to build strong cases and obtain the evidence we need to establish liability.

There are no fees to pay up front for our services. We do not get paid unless we successfully recover compensation for your claim. An initial consultation to discuss your situation is free of charge.

We are here to help. Call 1-800-706-3000 today.