One of the biggest frustrations following a road traffic accident (RTA) occurs when there is a dispute over liability – basically, who is at fault for the crash. Deciding who is at fault is often based on one person’s word versus another’s, and with two or more versions of events you can often end up with two or more wildly differing interpretations of what happened.
Proving fault / liability is especially important if you have suffered an injury in an accident through no fault of your own. The increasing availability of dash cams (small, ‘always on’ cameras that are fitted inside your vehicle that can record and store a video record of an event such as an accident or collision with another road user) can be extremely useful for your solicitor when they are piecing together the evidence required to successfully bring a claim for injuries on your behalf. Dash cam footage shows the precise sequence of events leading up to the incident, and a solicitor can use this information alongside other important evidence such as Police reports, road measurements, witness statements and the location of damage on the vehicles involved.
Dash cams are legal in the UK, and - similar to the widespread use of CCTV footage – their footage is being used more and more as evidence in court as they become more popular. An important point to remember is that police can seize a dash cam and its footage if they have reasonable grounds to do so under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. Also, even if there is no police involvement in your claim, dash cam footage must be disclosed if it is material to the case, whether or not it the footage is in your favour.
Need advice on making a claim? The friendly team here at The Accident Claimline will be happy to give you easy to understand and free assistance. To find out more, please contact us here or call 0800 977 4852