Newer cars and commercial vehicles come with event recorders or black boxes. The information they provide is very useful in many personal injury lawsuits. The data can be used by accident reconstruction experts to help prove your case. It can cut off some defense claims and aid vehicle accident investigations. Let us understand the role of black box in accident claims.
What is a Car or Truck “Black Box”?
The term black box or event data recorder refers to an onboard computer. It records data during crashes in cars and commercial vehicles. The investigations involve getting this data from the vehicles. They also look closely at the data from the onboard computer.
The biggest change in accident lawsuits over the last decade is the use of onboard computers in many vehicles. Auto accident lawyers in Los Angeles uses the evidence to build a strong case.
Before the use of black boxes, the accident reconstruction experts gathered facts related to the crash to determine the speed and braking of the vehicles. The experts would typically look at skid marks and the makeup of the road to arrive at a conclusion. This often caused variations in the opinion of the experts; however, this is not the case with event data recorders. Car accident attorneys always seek to obtain crash data after a serious crash. This kind of evidence can be hard to refute in a severe injury or fatal accident case.
What the Event Data Recorder Shows
These devices have entirely changed the game. How fast the driver was going is no longer disputed with black boxes. While the data may be easily downloadable in some wrecked vehicle, it is more difficult to obtain in others.
You may need to get help from an accident reconstruction expert to download the data for interpretation.
The data can show the speed right before a crash. It can also show braking activity of the vehicle. It can even provide important information that can be helpful in a vehicle accident case. Auto accident lawyers find the black box data helpful in providing speed and driver behavior after a crash.
While older trucks and cars may not have event data capability, most newer models do. Some of the vital information captured includes;
- Speed
- Evasive actions
- Braking activity
- Seatbelt use
Consult a Car Accident Lawyer Today!
In order to get access to black box data after an accident, it is important to consult with an accident attorney immediately. The data is protected by the Driver Privacy Act. In order to access this information, you must obtain the vehicle owner’s approval via a court order.
Most types of EDR devices store data for up to 30 days. This means you need to act quickly to obtain this crucial piece of evidence. The court order sent through a lawyer will compel the other party to provide the data for crash analysis.
Depending on the specific details of your crash, your car accident lawyer in Los Angeles will come up with strategies to use the data effectively. This will increase the chance of winning your case and recovering compensation.