How Digital Evidence Is Changing Baltimore Car Accident Claims
If you are injured in a Baltimore car accident and reckless behavior by other drivers is to blame, you have the right to seek compensation. However, you need evidence.
Dashcam footage, doorbell cameras, fitness tracker data, and smartphone records play an increasing role in how Baltimore car accident claims are investigated, argued, and resolved. Our experienced Maryland car accident lawyers explain what you need to know about digital evidence and how to protect it.
Digital Evidence in Baltimore Car Accident Injury Claims
According to the Maryland State Police, nearly 5,000 people are injured in Baltimore City car accidents each year. When others are at fault, you have the right to hold them accountable under the Maryland Statutes. However, these cases hinge on evidence.
The growth of connected devices and cameras in everyday life has created a rich trail of digital information. Alongside police reports, photos from the scene, medical records, and other documents, digital evidence that may be relevant in your case includes:
- Vehicle black box data, known as an event data recorder.
- Dashcam footage from the vehicles involved and any nearby drivers.
- Doorbell and security camera recordings from homes and businesses near the accident scene.
- Smartphone data, including call logs, text records, and app activity, which can show what each driver was doing right before the collision.
Fitness tracker and smartwatch data can also be used in Baltimore car accident claims to document your level of physical activity before and after a crash, which points to the impact your injuries had on your life.
Protecting Digital Evidence in Your Baltimore Car Accident Claim
When car accident injuries in Baltimore happen due to another driver’s reckless behavior, you can hold them liable for your medical bills, property damages, and other costs. However, insurers may try to use digital evidence against you to dispute how the crash happened, who was at fault, and the extent of your injuries.
While you have up to three years to file a claim, digital evidence can disappear quickly. Take these steps to protect it:
- Take action immediately to get security camera footage and vehicle data.
- Pull your dash cam SD card and store it in a safe location.
- Maintain photos, texts, and videos in their original format to preserve timestamps and GPS coordinates.
- Avoid deleting any files, as this could be viewed as trying to hide evidence.
Our experienced Maryland car accident lawyers can send spoliation letters to those involved, prohibiting them from destroying or overwriting digital evidence in your claim. In the meantime, avoid posting about the accident, your injuries, or your current activities on social media while your claim is active.
Baltimore Car Accident? Request a Consultation at Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers
Digital evidence is an increasingly common factor in Baltimore car accident claims. At Maryland Injury Lawyers, we help you gather vital data and get the maximum compensation you need to recover.
If you were injured in a crash, don’t delay. Contact our office and request a consultation with our experienced Maryland car accident lawyers today.
Sources:
analytics.mdsp.org/t/Public/views/PublicCrash2/PublicCrash?%3Aembed=y&%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y
mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcj§ion=4-402&enactments=False&archived=False
