Can Black Box Data Help My Personal Injury Claim?

Should you ever enter into a devastating car crash, you may be kicking yourself over the fact that you never got around to installing a dashcam in your vehicle. Now, you may worry that you do not have enough concrete evidence to present in your upcoming personal injury claim. However, if your vehicle was made in the mid-1990s, but more realistically in the 2000s, you may have a black box recorder installed within it. This essentially depicts the data surrounding your car accident event. So please follow along to find out how to use black box data and how a proficient Panama City car accident attorney at Manuel & Thompson, PA can help you retrieve and present it effectively.

How can black box data help my wrongful death claim?

Unfortunately, you may receive the terrible news that your loved one died in a fatal car accident event. If you are eligible to do so, you may attempt to seek justice and file a wrongful death claim on their behalf. Here, you may be struggling with gathering adequate evidence for your case, as you were likely not present at the scene when the crash occurred. This is where black box data comes into play.

Black box data may establish elements like vehicle speed, steering angles, brake application, airbag deployment, seatbelt usage, and more. All of this information may ultimately point to the defendant’s negligence in the moments leading up to the collision.

How can this data help my argument in a car accident claim?

Black box data may be useful in your car accident claim for similar reasons. What’s more, though, is that it may help you successfully refute any wrongful claim the defendant makes against you. For example, data on your vehicle speed and brake application may contradict any argument of your reckless driving. In addition, data on the force of impact may turn down any accusation that you are likely exaggerating the extent and severity of your incurred injuries.

Regardless of whether you want to use black box data for a wrongful death claim or car accident claim, you may need to hire a forensic expert to help you retrieve it. This requires a special data retrieval toolkit, which consists of software, hardware, and a cable to connect to the vehicle’s onboard diagnostics port. This is one thing, and accurately interpreting this complex data is another.

Importantly, if you are seeking this data from the defendant’s vehicle, you must get their explicit consent first. If they do not comply, you may need to file a motion to request that the court order the defendant to preserve and release the data. Rest assured, one of our legal representatives can help you make this request happen.

To conclude, if you require additional consulting, look no further than a talented Panama City auto accident attorney from Manuel & Thompson, PA. Schedule your initial consultation with us today.