Imagine you are driving home late at night after a long day of work. You are driving through a green light when all of the sudden someone making a left hand turn sideswipes your vehicle. In the aftermath of the accident you are stressed out and aren’t sure what to do, when the other driver hurries and drives away before you can talk with them. This is an example of a hit and run accident. Hit and Runs are an unfortunate reality on our roads. The only thing worse than being injured in a car accident, is when a driver leaves the scene and avoids accountability for their accident.
Getting into a hit and run is very serious, you are left with injuries, a damaged vehicle, and no idea what to do next. Identifying and holding the responsible party accountable for their actions has been extremely difficult, but with modern technology advancements, not impossible. Dash cams have provided us with a significant tool in the fight for justice against these unfortunate incidents. Our Utah personal injury attorneys believe it is best to be prepared for everything, so in this article we will be exploring the impact of hit and run accidents, as well as how having a dash cam can help protect you and strengthen your injury case.
Understanding Hit and Run Accidents
You may be wondering what exactly counts as a hit and run accident, and it’s pretty self explanatory. A hit and run occurs when a driver who is involved in an accident flees or tries to flee the scene without providing any contact information or aiding the injured. This irresponsible and criminal act can leave you in an extremely vulnerable position, complicating the process of seeking compensation and justice for the wrongs that have been done to you. In 2019 there were over 800,000 hit and run accidents reported, this number is staggering which makes it vital that you understand how you can protect yourself if you end up in a hit and run.
Legal Consequences of Hit and Runs
Here in Utah a hit and run is considered a crime, and depending on the severity of the crash and resulting injuries can result in several thousands of dollars in fines and time spent in jail. Additionally, the fleeing driver may also be held liable for all of the victim’s medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, your primary challenge as a victim of a hit and run remains finding and persecuting the perpetrator of the crime.
The Role of Dash Cams
Dash cams are small video cameras that are typically mounted on a vehicle’s dashboard or windshield. These small devices have one purpose and that is to continuously record the road ahead (and sometimes behind) the vehicle while it is driving. Dash cams act as a way of safeguarding your best interests. They can help determine who is at fault in an accident, as well as capture critical incidents that may be crucial in your case, including information in a hit and run accident.
Benefits of a Dash Cam
- Unbiased Witness: Unlike a person who may forget parts of the incident, a dash cam’s account is a one hundred percent accurate representation of the events that occur. Capturing a real-time unbiased account of the accident that can be crucial in determining liability.
- Identification of the Perpetrator: A dash cam can be incredibly helpful in finding the identity of someone who has caused a hit and run accident. Dash cams can capture footage of the fleeing vehicle’s make, model, color, or even a license plate number, and sometimes even the face of the person who caused the accident. This information is instrumental in police investigations as it can make it much easier to track down the responsible driver.
- Evidence: Dash cam recordings can serve as incredibly compelling evidence in court, supporting your claims and helping to establish liability in your personal injury case. This can be especially helpful if the at fault party is arguing a false story.
- Insurance Claims: Insurance companies do not want to pay out for your personal injury case, they will try as hard as possible to minimize and deny your claim. This means that the majority of insurance companies will require substantial proof to process a hit and run claim. Dash cam footage helps to expedite this process by providing an insurance company with clear evidence of the incident.
What to Consider for Dash Cam Use
While dash cams offer us numerous benefits, it is essential to be aware of legal considerations surrounding their use. In the United States, every state allows the usage of a dash cam with a few caveats primarily with where the dash cam can be mounted. Most states require that a dash cam can not be placed on a windshield and must not block the line of sight. Here in Utah you can place your dash cam on your windshield as long as it is placed within the corner of the driver’s side of the car and does not take up more than 4 inches of the windshield.
Getting into a hit and run can be the most stressful experience that any driver can face, but if your vehicle is equipped with a dash cam it can provide you with some layer of protection and peace of mind. A dash cam offers definitive proof that can be hard to come by when dealing with a personal injury case, and can help expedite the claims process. Here at LifeLaw the Utah personal injury attorneys strongly recommend using a dash cam as a way to safeguard your best interests.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a hit and run accident, call the best Utah personal injury attorneys at LifeLaw Personal Injury. Our Utah personal injury attorneys have years of experience dealing with a hit and run case, and know the best approaches to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve. Let LifeLaw Personal Injury fight for you, call us today for a free consultation, and to discuss your options.