Black Box Data

You’ve heard of black box data…. probably in reference to airplane crashes, but did you know most vehicles also have a black box on board? This data can be extremely valuable. And fleeting. No pun intended. There is usually a short window after a crash to pull this data off the car, whether because the data is overwritten due to time or the car is totaled and sold at auction. It’s worth talking to a lawyer early to try and pull this data off so it’s available later, especially in a larger or more factually complex case.

What is black box data? Officially it’s called an EDR (Event Data Recorder). It’s not exactly the same as what you find in an aircraft, but the idea is similar. And no, it’s not always black. Generally speaking, it records things like braking, velocity changes, speed, seatbelt usage, impact information, steering information, angles and more. The data can be helpful in reconstructing what actually happened in a crash. Did the other driver brake before impact? Did you? How fast were you going? In a 3+ car rear end collision, which driver hit first? Did the second car hit and then the 3rd hit both? Or did the 3rd car push car #2 into #1?

What does it cost to pull the data? Usually about $500-$1000, but there are a lot of factors that go into that. Most PI lawyers front costs and will be reimbursed at the end of the case, so you don’t have to come up with the up front funds for things like this.

Do you have to do it in every case? No. I don’t pull black box data for every crash, nor do I always get the opportunity if I’m retained too late to do it. But in a larger case, or one where there is a liability split or it isn’t clear what happened or who caused the crash, black box data can be extremely valuable in accident reconstruction. This is one more reason to call a lawyer early on!