By Dan Noll on February 2nd, 2025 in Articles, Car Accident
Springfield Car Accident Lawyers Answer How Can Dashcams Help After an Accident in Illinois
Once a thing for only law enforcement, dashcams and other recording devices are now more and more common on private vehicles. This is for good reason too. Each year in the United States, traffic accidents result in roughly 42,500 fatalities and 2.38 million injuries. In Illinois alone, each year there are almost 300,000 traffic accidents, with 20% of them causing injuries (about 60,000), 12% causing catastrophic injuries (about 36,000), and over 1,100 being fatal (less than 1%). Unfortunately, the experienced Springfield car accident lawyers at the Noll Law Office know that many of these crashes are entirely preventable and result in needless injuries to victims and their families. Despite this, their auto accident attorneys also know that many defense lawyers and their insurance adjusters will refuse to fairly compensate victims and their families for their damages, thus highlighting the critical importance of documenting evidence in accident cases such as from dashcams.
If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a car accident in Illinois, schedule a free consultation with the Noll Law Office to learn more about how they can help you and your family recover compensation for your personal injuries, lost wages, and medical bills. Whether you have a dashcam or not, their experienced car accident lawyers in Springfield can help you and your family recover the compensation that you need and deserve under Illinois law.
Understanding Dashboard Cameras and Their Rising Popularity
Dashboard cameras, commonly known as dashcams, have become increasingly popular among drivers in recent years. These small devices mount to a vehicle’s dashboard or windshield and continuously record video footage of the road ahead, often storing the videos on the device or sending it to a user’s cell phone, email, or the cloud. Some advanced models also record rear-facing footage and capture audio inside the vehicle, estimate the speed of the vehicle, and may even have options to alert first responders in the event of a crash. As prices have decreased and technology has improved, more drivers are choosing to install these devices for added protection and peace of mind.
But that is not all who may install them. Sometimes employers install them in vehicles to help protect themselves for liability too, especially trucking companies for truck accident cases. This includes being able to monitor employees and their actions, their driving skills, and whether they are working or stealing time on the clock. Despite this alternative purpose, victims of car accidents with one of these businesses who uses a dashcam in that manner may still be entitled to recover the videos to help prove a case.
Thus, no matter how a dashcam is used by a driver or business, it could be a vital component to proving your car accident case in Illinois.
How Dashcam Footage Strengthens Car Accident Cases
Dashcam footage can provide invaluable evidence in car accident cases and is a relatively new component. Unlike witness testimony, which may be unclear, conflicting, or subject to fading memories over time, video evidence offers an objective record of events as they occurred to help prove which side may have been right or wrong in a car accident crash.
Indeed, this footage can sometimes show the following:
- The exact sequence of events leading to the accident
- Traffic signal status at the time of impact
- Weather and road conditions
- Driver behaviors and traffic violations
- The severity and point of impact
- Traffic conditions
- Whether a driver was paying attention or not based on audio (if available)
- Injuries and extent of the immediate harm, and
- Other types of legal issues in car accident cases relating to liability, damages, causation, or other points contested by a party.
As a result of dashcam footage, it provides clear documentation that helps insurance companies, attorneys, and courts determine fault and liability with greater accuracy. It therefore prevents defense lawyers and insurance adjusters from protecting dangerous drivers and from refusing to pay valid claims to victims.
Were You Injured in a Car Accident in Illinois? The Noll Law Office Can Have an Experienced Springfield Car Accident Lawyer Answer Your Questions
Dashcams are an important component of car accident cases. Although they are gaining popularity, there are still many drivers who do not have dashcams. But those drivers who do have dashcams, especially those in business vehicles, government vehicles, and other commercial cars, could have valuable information to help prove a car accident case. And even if they do not want to disclose the dashcam video, they can be compelled to disclose the video to a victim and his or her family.
That’s why car accident victims should contact the Noll Law Office for help with their personal injury case. Whether or not you had a dashcam, their Springfield car accident lawyers can investigate the cause of your auto accident, identify and obtain dashcam footage, and protect your rights to compensate under Illinois law. To learn more about your rights and how they can help, call the Noll Law Office today to schedule your free consultation by dialing (217) 414-8889 or by sending a message here.