A car accident on Friars Road in San Diego today and 10 years ago would look very different. 10 years ago, the only reference points were yours and those of the other drivers. There might or might not have been a witness. The police might have captured everything accurately, but they may have missed out on an important detail. Today, it’s likely that someone captured the whole incident on their mobile phone or another device, knowingly or unknowingly. Such evidence changes the result of a claim more than people expect.
- Ready evidence of what happened
Recording the whole incident removes a lot of guesswork. It becomes clear who broke the signal, who was speeding, or whether the driver was looking at the phone while driving, and more.
San Diego’s stop-and-go traffic during rush hours and split-second decisions cause a majority of car crashes. One cannot reconstruct the whole incident from memory alone. Due to age, memory loss, and stress, one can forget important details or fail to report events accurately.
A video can settle the argument between the two parties involved in the accident by presenting the actual picture. A San Diego car accident attorney often uses such evidence in court for car accident claim cases.
- Other things that also get caught on record
Phone footage not only shows the crash. It also shows things that happened after the accident.
Someone might come out of the car and walk and talk normally after the accident, even though they are badly hurt. Insurance adjusters use this clip to prove that the injury from the accident was not as severe as claimed, because the person walked and talked after the accident. The amount of compensation is compromised.
Someone may apologize out of reflex, but that is not the same as admitting fault. Things read very differently on a video than they do in the real moment.
- What should you do in such a situation?
If you know there is footage of the accident, here are a few things you must do.
Get the contact information of the person who got a video before they walk away. Ensure that the footage is backed up so that it doesn’t disappear after a few days.
If the accident occurs near gas stations, parking garages, or restaurants, there are exterior cameras nearby. Get the footage before it is overwritten.
Pain from an accident is not visible on camera. However, experienced attorneys from firms such as hhjtrialattorneys.com will understand what you went through.
Wrapping it up
10 years ago, a crash claim applicant would need to reconstruct the story on the spot to prove what actually happened. At present, the story is completely different as there is already visual evidence for better or worse. So, people must be more aware of the situation and pay attention to every detail. Trying to cover up things is not that easy. It is the details that matter when the car crash claim gets reviewed. Hence, make sure that you have the necessary recordings with you.
