Technology has completely transformed the way vehicle collision cases are investigated and proven at trial.
Gone are the days of “he said, she said” testimony being thrown around a courtroom. Today’s lawyers rely on cold, hard data, video evidence, and professional accident reconstruction to prove exactly what happened…and who was at fault.
If a loved one has been involved in a serious crash (including a DUI accident), this is huge news.
For starters, irrefutable evidence can make or break a case.
But more importantly, when it comes to electronic data and video, time is not a friend. The faster someone files that lawsuit, the more likely that evidence will be preserved before it is destroyed forever.
Here’s what to know.
What’s Inside:
- Why Evidence Will Never Be The Same Again
- The “Black Box” Inside Your Car
- Dashcam Video Doesn’t Lie
- Digital Forensics In DUI Accident Cases
- How Does All This Tech Help An Attorney Win?
- What To Do After An Accident
Why Evidence Will Never Be The Same Again
Did you know…
It has never been a better time to hire a DUI accident lawyer for representation.
This seems counterintuitive considering the damage someone may have caused while driving drunk or impaired. But think about the cases that Virginia car accident attorney have won in recent years. More times than not, shifting liability was possible because of compelling digital evidence that proves without a doubt who caused the crash.
The fact is, technology doesn’t make mistakes. It doesn’t forget details. And it won’t change its story when faced with a large insurance company trying to dispute a claim.
Yet that piece of information is significant — driver error causes 90 percent of all crashes. That means the information collected before, during, and after a crash can be the most valuable evidence in any case.
Combine a skilled attorney who knows how to gather that data with powerful evidence that never lies? More cases get won.
The “Black Box” Inside Your Car
Here’s a fun fact.
Most car drivers don’t know their car is already recording every move they make.
Standard equipment on most vehicles is something called an Event Data Recorder (EDR), or as most people refer to it, a “black box.” It records specific information during the seconds before and after an impact. The data captured by the EDR can be used to determine the events leading up to a crash and proves, without question, how the collision happened.
Here’s what the “black box” records:
- Vehicle speed — how fast the car was going right before impact
- Brake input — whether the brakes were applied before impact
- Throttle position — whether the vehicle was speeding up
- Seatbelt usage — whether seatbelts were buckled
- Impact force — how severe the collision was
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states 95 percent of cars now have an EDR installed as standard equipment. While most people don’t know that little piece of technology is hidden inside their car, it means there will almost always be valuable data after a crash.
There is just one problem…
Unless someone preserves that data quickly, it can be lost forever.
EDR material can be overwritten by driving the car. If the battery becomes disconnected, EDR information can disappear. Finally, if the vehicle gets repaired or salvaged without a lawyer’s preservation letter, that data can be destroyed forever.
Dashcam Video Doesn’t Lie
Dashcams are quickly becoming one of the best forms of evidence after a crash.
It doesn’t matter how badly damaged a car is after a wreck. Modern dashcams record video of everything that happened during and leading up to a crash.
Why do courts value dashcam evidence? Because it reveals irrefutable facts about:
- Dangerous or reckless driving in the moments before a crash
- Speeding, red-light running, failure to yield, and other negligent moves
- Point of impact, speed at impact, and position of all vehicles
- Driver reaction after a crash occurs
Video footage doesn’t lie. Just like a car’s black box, the dashcam is a valuable tool that accident attorneys are increasingly using to win cases.
But other video footage matters too. Traffic cameras, doorbell cameras, and nearby business CCTV systems likely captured the crash. Those cameras could overwrite that evidence within days.
When it comes to crash evidence, time is not a friend.
Digital Forensics In DUI Accident Cases
When someone was driving drunk or impaired, digital forensics can play a major role in a case.
What information can be uncovered?
- Phone records — show if the negligent driver was texting or using an app while driving
- GPS and location apps — can show where the vehicle was coming from before the crash
- Social media activity — can prove where that driver was before the accident
- Vehicle black box data — can show everything from speed to braking behaviour
Lawyers have been using digital forensics to win DUI accident cases for years. But now it’s becoming more commonplace as timestamps and electronic information can paint a complete picture of who did what, and when.
Pretty cool, right?
Even better — this data can be used to dispute insurance company arguments and show precisely who is at fault.
How Does All This Tech Help An Attorney Win?
A successful car accident lawsuit isn’t built on eyewitness testimony these days.
Top DUI accident lawyers are combining:
- “Black box” data from the vehicle itself
- Dashcam and video footage of the crash
- Digital forensics records from phones and the vehicle
- Professional accident reconstruction using all the evidence above
When an insurance company is faced with hard evidence that cannot be disputed in court, the ability to deny liability collapses fast.
What To Do After An Accident
Being in a vehicle collision is serious enough…
Here are two things victims should do immediately after an accident.
DO NOT let that other car get repaired — or worse, salvaged.
Time is not a friend. Contacting an attorney immediately after an accident is vital. A lawyer can send the necessary letters to preserve the car’s black box data and request any video footage from traffic cameras and nearby security cameras.
Some of that information can disappear overnight. That is why securing legal representation as quickly as possible allows an attorney to start gathering evidence while it is still available.
DO NOT post anything about the accident on social media.
One of the biggest mistakes crash victims make is discussing the accident on social media. Any post about the crash or the vehicle could be used against a claim by the insurance company.
Stay silent on social media until the case is resolved.
Here’s the Bottom Line on Technology and Crash Cases
Technology has changed vehicle collision cases forever, and there is now more evidence available than ever before.
Having access to a car’s “black box” data, dashcam video, and digital forensics allows attorneys to prove — without a doubt — who caused a crash and who should pay for the damages.
But that comes with one important caveat. There is a need to know what to do after an accident…and to do it quickly.
