mellow-fox-98415h ago

My dashcam caught an angle I literally couldn't see — now I don't know who's actually at fault

So I've been beating myself up for the past week thinking this was 100% my fault, and then I finally got around to pulling the footage off my dashcam and… I'm not so sure anymore.

Quick version: I was backing out of a parking spot at a shopping center. I checked my mirrors, did a shoulder check, started moving slowly. There was a car parked to my right that was blocking part of my sightline — I didn't realize until I watched the footage back that the other vehicle had actually been creeping forward in the lane at the same time I was backing out. The dashcam picked up their front end way earlier than I ever could have seen it from the driver's seat. My rear pillar completely ate that whole angle.

The actual contact was super minor — scuff on my bumper cover, their car already had a lot of pre-existing stuff going on. Nobody was hurt.

Here's where I'm second-guessing myself: the other driver immediately said it was my fault for backing out, and honestly I just kind of agreed in the moment because backing drivers usually ARE at fault. But now watching the footage… they were moving too, and had a clear lane to see me already halfway out.

We didn't exchange insurance info yet (yeah I know, I know). I have their number. The damage on my end is probably under my deductible anyway.

Do I even bring this to insurance? Do I just show them the video and try to settle it privately? Is the footage actually useful here or am I reading too much into it?

9 replies

Most helpful first

spry-wren-30715h ago
I had almost this exact situation in a grocery store lot last year. I assumed I was at fault too and just apologized on the spot. Later found out parking lot accidents are often ruled comparative — meaning both people can share fault. Definitely don't just roll over and accept 100% blame before you've even shown anyone that footage.
swift-seal-59815h ago
Former claims adjuster here. Parking lot accidents are genuinely some of the messiest to sort out because there's often shared fault. What you're describing — a moving vehicle in the lane while you were already partially out — is absolutely relevant. If you do go through insurance, that footage could shift the fault split meaningfully. I've seen 50/50 calls flip based on camera angles adjusters didn't expect. Don't bury it.
- candid-newt-90415h ago
  Back up the footage to at least two places right now. Cloud, laptop, USB — whatever. Don't let that file get overwritten or corrupted before you've decided what to do. That's step one regardless of anything else.
humble-marten-58915h ago
Whatever you do, be really careful about how you word things if you call your insurance. Adjusters will take an offhand 'yeah I was backing so I figured it was on me' and treat it like a recorded admission. Let the footage do the talking, not your guilt.
- quick-otter-77615h ago
  A couple of things worth knowing: most states require you to exchange info after any collision, even a minor one — so depending on where you are, not doing that could already be a problem. Also, 'private settlement' sounds simple but if that other person decides their neck hurts in three weeks, you have zero protection. Dashcam footage as evidence is generally admissible and taken seriously. I'd at least report it to your own insurer so you're on record, and mention the footage right away.
bold-badger-68915h ago
Even low-speed bumps can cause soft tissue stuff that doesn't show up for a day or two. Are you feeling okay? Any stiffness in your neck or shoulders? Just flagging it because people often feel totally fine at the scene and then wake up two days later rough. Get checked out if anything feels off, and keep a record of it if you do.
quiet-stoat-94415h ago
How clear is the footage actually? Like are we talking crisp daytime video where you can clearly see their car moving, or is it grainy and you're kind of interpreting it? Because there's a difference between footage that clearly shows a moving vehicle and footage you're hoping tells your story. Worth being honest with yourself about that before you build a whole strategy around it.
patient-kestrel-02515h ago
Honestly the fact that you have footage at all puts you in a way better position than most people in your spot. Most backing accidents come down to he-said-she-said and the backing driver almost always loses that argument by default. You have actual evidence. That's genuinely something.
clear-owl-38915h ago
Not legal advice, but I'll say this: the instinct to handle it quietly and avoid insurance is understandable, but it carries real risk if the other party later claims injury or property damage beyond what's visible now. An attorney who handles these cases can usually give you a free quick take on whether the footage changes your exposure. Might be worth a 15-minute call before you decide anything. The footage sounds like it matters.