Hurt in a car or truck crash?
Leave your name and phone. We call back today, in English or Spanish. The consultation is free and confidential.
Free consultation · English y Español · No fees or costs unless we win
What recordings and data may exist
Commercial vehicles can produce several kinds of records. There may be a forward-facing or driver-facing camera, a GPS or telematics unit that tracks speed and braking, and delivery scan records that show where the van stopped and when. The driver’s phone or delivery app may also hold location data. Not every van has every system, and the setup can vary from one company to another.
These records can matter a great deal in a claim. They can show the van’s speed, whether it stopped, whether the driver was looking at a screen, and the exact time of the crash. Because recordings may be overwritten in the normal course of business, the request to save them should go out as soon as possible after the crash, ideally within days.
How a lawyer asks for the footage
The first step is usually a preservation letter to the driver’s employer and any other company connected to the van. The letter identifies the crash and asks them to keep all video, telematics and delivery data. Companies often will not hand over footage before a lawsuit. Once a case is filed, your lawyer can demand the records through formal requests and question witnesses about them under oath.
Identifying the right company comes first. The driver may work for Amazon or for a separate delivery company, and in California an employer is generally responsible for an employee’s driving on the job (respondeat superior). Our page on Amazon delivery van accidents explains how to find the employer. For larger trucks, see truck black box and dashcam evidence.
Free accident case review
Tell us what happened. We will tell you plainly whether there is a case and what to do next. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Other cameras that may have caught the crash
Do not wait on the van’s camera alone. Doorbell cameras, store and gas station cameras, apartment building cameras, buses and other drivers’ dashcams often capture street crashes. Many of these systems record over themselves quickly. Go back to the scene, or ask a friend to go, and politely ask nearby homes and businesses whether they have video. Write down who you asked and when.
Your own dashcam footage is valuable too, so save a copy right away. The police report can help fill in gaps. The agency that wrote it must release it to an injured person, a driver involved or their lawyer, and may charge only its actual cost (Vehicle Code 20012). If no report was made, see no police report after a crash.
What video can prove
Video often settles arguments about fault. It can show whether the van turned left in front of you when you were close enough to be a hazard, which California law forbids (Vehicle Code 21801). It can show whether the driver yielded to a pedestrian in a crosswalk (Vehicle Code 21950). It can also show the speed of each vehicle and who entered the lane first.
Insurers sometimes try to put part of the blame on the injured person. California uses pure comparative fault, so your own share reduces your recovery but does not bar it (pure comparative fault). Clear video can keep that share small or show that you had none. That is why getting the footage saved early makes such a difference in these cases.
What to do now
Get medical care and keep your records. Photograph the van, its plate, any van number and company name, and the scene. Write down the exact time and place of the crash, since that is how footage is found later. Get witness names. Do not sign anything from the delivery company or its insurer, and do not give a recorded statement before talking to a lawyer.
In California, an injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1), and in Washington within three (RCW 4.16.080). Video may not last nearly that long. If a larger Amazon-branded truck was involved, see Amazon truck accidents in California. Call (310) 552-6959 or use the form so a preservation letter can go out quickly.
- Write down the exact time and location of the crash.
- Photograph the van, plate, van number and company name.
- Ask nearby homes and businesses for video right away.
- Save a copy of your own dashcam footage.
- Do not sign releases or give recorded statements before getting legal advice.
Common questions
Can I ask Amazon for the camera footage of my accident?
You can ask, but companies often decline to share footage before a lawsuit. The more useful step is a preservation letter sent quickly to the right company, asking it to keep all video and data. After a case is filed, your lawyer can demand the footage through formal requests in the case.
How long do delivery companies keep van camera video?
It varies by company and system, and there is no single answer we can give. Some systems overwrite recordings in the normal course of business. That is why it helps to have a lawyer send a preservation letter within days of the crash, before anything is lost.
What if the delivery van did not have a camera?
Other evidence can still prove what happened: nearby doorbell and business cameras, other drivers’ dashcams, witness statements, photos of the damage, the police report and the van’s GPS or delivery records. A lawyer can gather these and reconstruct the crash from them.
Can dashcam video from my own car be used in my claim?
Yes, your own footage can be strong evidence. Save the original file and make a copy right away, before the camera records over it. Do not post it online. Give it to your lawyer, who can decide how and when to share it with the insurer.
Ask a question
Not ready to call? Write your question and someone on our team will answer. No cost, no commitment.
Car and truck accident lawyer — Beverly Law
If you were hurt in a car or truck crash in California and Washington, talk to a personal injury attorney. Free, confidential, English or Spanish. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Related pages
Amazon Delivery Van Accident · Amazon Truck Accident in California · FedEx Truck Accident · UPS Truck Accident · USPS mail truck accident: the federal claim rules · All car and truck accident questions
Sources
Important: This page is general information about California and Washington law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Last reviewed: November 5, 2026.