So, I hit a ladder on the highway...

That stinks! I’m sorry that happened. Last year I hit a tire tread in the road with my previous car. They had to replace my entire bumper, grill, and fog light. I hate junk in the road. Glad you’re okay though.

 

Sorry about the damage - it's a great dashcam - what is it?

 

and you caught the culprits! they should fully compensate you!

 

whether or not the OP has a video in this case, the license plate is entirely unreadable. The fact that the driver guy pulled over & maybe the op got the plate - & exchanged information is everything. There are only a couple dash cams out of maybe 3 dozen manufacturers that can actually capture license plates while moving. That typically requires at least 30fps recording speed, & very few dash cams are capable of that speed, much less if it were dark or very cloudy.
Sorry to see your damage. Very fortunate the ladder guy pulled over.
.

 

This one?

Glad you're OK. Kind of puts to shame the 5/8" wood drill bit my wife ran through her tire last week.

 

First and foremost, yes, glad nobody got hurt.
A ladder sitting in the middle lane of a freeway, could of resulted in tragedy.

I don't know the legal minutia, but it was the dangerous negligence of the company that resulted in the damage. I hope the OP doesn't end up paying for anything here.

Things like this happen, but it is such a dangerous scenario.

 

One of the very 1st tragedies with Tesla was because of an idiot losing an unsecured trailer hitch on the freeway. The trailer hitch was run over & it pierced the traction pack, causing a catastrophic failure/battery fire. Even so, the car audibly warned the driver that it was shutting down, allowing the driver to pull off the freeway & exit before the fire began. Fatality/injury averted.
Still, good came out of this car vs object collision. The event prompted Tesla to put a ballistic plate over the bottom of packs (& retrofit existing vehicles) - to prevent future instances of the stupid people effect, as well as autopilot sensors that cause the car to brake in such instances.
.

 

Did those guys even realize they had lost a ladder?
If I was Mystery Science Theater 3000 ad libbing over that video....I'd say...

"Didn't we use to have two of these?"

Don't mean to make light of such a dangerous situation, but in that video they seem oddly unconcerned that they have a ladder of THEIRS sitting in the middle of a busy freeway.

 

It sure could have been worse and there's no excuse for unsecured loads. Two of my elderly friends spent some time in an Atlanta hospital a few years ago because they came over a rise and there was a mattress laying in the middle of I-75 right in front of them. They slammed on their brakes and the tailgater behind them slammed into their back end.

Unsecured loads should have the same penalty as any other criminal negligence.

 

Least the culprit was at the scene and was found.

SM-N950U ?

 

wow, I need to get a cam, I just hit a wheel stop that dropped out of a big rig!

 

Obviously, you're safe, but let us know what happened in your experience and any damages caused to your car, etc.

 

I don’t drive my car unless the GoPro is in the windshield.
Th beating I have given this camera is remarkable and it still has a high def picture.
I have an old Hero2 you can pick up cheap. Lots of them on eBay.

There’s really nothing in your life where you have more financial
Exposure than driving your car.

It’s late at night and your u drive thru a light and a guy t bones you.
He says you ran the light and you say he ran the light. He has extensive personal injury and sues the shit out of you. If he wins after he tears through your minimum insurance pip it’s all on you.

Happens all the time. Every other tv commercial during the day is a personal injury attorney after your personal injury dec.

 

Same here, worst place I've lived in regards to loads deposited on the roads.

SM-N950U ?

 

I think my wife is finally convinced of the need for a dash camera for her car. (I already got one for mine largely as a result of this thread and one other on PC.)

She was in the right lane of three, approaching a signal with a semi in the right turn lane. Some bonehead came up beside her in the right turn lane, pulled into her lane, and forced her to decide instantly between sideswiping the car to her left, getting sideswiped by the bonehead, or slamming on the brakes. She chose door number three and got to experience the wonders of antilock brakes. Praise the Lord, no one was tailgating her as they are required by law to do here. Said bonehead finished his pass of the semi and went ahead and made his right turn, cutting off the semi. Unfortunately, the semi driver must have been in a hurry and didn't have time for the paperwork involved in running over this idiot and helping improve the gene pool.

 

Tell us what you really think of the situation.

Actually, I am glad your wife is OK.