Auto Accident Attorney Evidence and Investigation 2

Question 1

What is a 'dashcam' recording and why is it valuable in auto accident cases?

Accepted Answer

A continuously recording in-vehicle camera that captures real-time footage of the road, providing objective evidence of how the accident occurred

Answer

A camera that only activates after a crash is detected

Answer

A device that records only the interior of the vehicle

Answer

A traffic camera owned by the city or municipality

Question 2

What is a 'witness statement' and how should it be obtained after an auto accident?

Accepted Answer

A voluntary account from a person who observed the accident; obtained by collecting contact information and written or recorded statements at the scene

Answer

Only statements obtained by police officers are admissible

Answer

Witness statements must be notarized to be valid evidence

Answer

Bystander accounts are inadmissible hearsay in civil cases

Question 3

What are 'skid marks' and what information can they provide in accident reconstruction?

Accepted Answer

Tire marks left during braking that allow reconstruction experts to calculate pre-impact vehicle speed using physics formulas

Answer

Decorative tire marks with no evidentiary value

Answer

Marks indicating a vehicle drove off-road before the accident

Answer

Evidence that a driver intentionally caused the accident

Question 4

What is a 'subpoena duces tecum' in auto accident litigation?

Accepted Answer

A court order requiring a person or entity to produce documents or tangible items as evidence

Answer

A summons requiring the defendant to appear in court

Answer

A demand that the plaintiff produce a complete list of injuries

Answer

An order requiring expert witnesses to testify at trial

Question 5

What is the significance of 'prior accident history' evidence in auto accident cases?

Accepted Answer

It may show a driver's pattern of dangerous conduct or that the plaintiff had pre-existing injuries unrelated to the defendant's negligence

Answer

Prior accidents automatically bar recovery for the plaintiff

Answer

Prior accidents are completely inadmissible in civil proceedings

Answer

Prior accidents only matter if they involved the same vehicles

Question 6

What is a 'traffic camera' and how is that footage obtained for auto accident cases?

Accepted Answer

City-operated or private cameras at intersections that capture footage; obtained through public records requests or litigation subpoenas

Answer

Private cameras that can only be accessed by law enforcement

Answer

Traffic cameras only record traffic flow statistics, not individual vehicles

Answer

Footage is automatically sent to all involved parties after an accident