How to Secure Traffic Camera Footage of an Accident

When you are hurt in an accident, it can change the course of your life. Because the results can be so devastating, you may need extensive evidence to prove you are due compensation. This evidence can help prevent claim denials and other issues that may hurt your claim. 

When you are filing a claim for a traffic accident, you may need help securing traffic camera footage for your case. If you are struggling to get this footage, contact an Atlanta car accident lawyer at John Foy & Associates to help you take the following steps and get the evidence you need for your claim. 

Determine What Cameras Captured the Incident 

After the accident, you first need to know how your accident was captured. You may be in an area with many street cameras that precisely record incidents like yours. These cameras can act as an impartial witness for your claim. 

But before using this evidence, you must determine which cameras would have caught the incident on tape. In these cases, your first option may be to go to the accident scene and look for the cameras pointing at the scene. 

These cameras may have vital evidence. If you are unsure which cameras captured the accident, your attorney can help you determine. They can connect with police officers and other agencies that may have access to the traffic camera footage. 

Identify the Jurisdiction of the Cameras 

When identifying the right traffic camera, you may find yourself looking at cameras placed there by the police. These cameras may deter speeding, running red lights, and more traffic violations. Luckily, they also often capture vital information. 

When you are injured in an accident and have determined which cameras must have captured the scene on film, you may then determine which jurisdiction the camera covers. This is especially important if you live in a large city separated into neighborhoods where you may have multiple police stations nearby. 

Determining the right police station to contact is essential. If unsure whether you are looking at the right jurisdiction, talk to your lawyer and save time traveling between stations. 

Contact the Right Agency

Once you know what jurisdiction covers these cameras, it may be time to take action and contact the right agency. After you contact them, they should be able to provide the footage and information you need following your accident. 

But that means you must contact the right agency, which can be tricky. You may need to contact a few possible groups after your car accident. 

Traffic Cameras 

In most of these cases, the traffic cameras are owned by the police station and its team. If the camera is a traffic camera, you may need to communicate directly with the police station. They may have records of all the footage taken, including the day of your car or motorcycle accident. 

You may alternatively need to contact your area’s department of transportation. They may be responsible for maintaining and storing footage from these cameras. 

Security Cameras 

Typically, traffic camera footage of an accident comes from traffic cameras. But what if you cannot get the footage you need from a traffic camera? 

For example, you may need help from other security footage captured by local shops and other security cameras. Getting evidence by whatever means necessary is essential when you are injured, so talk to your car accident attorney about your legal options. 

Take Action in Time 

When you are filing a car accident claim, acting fast is vital. You only have a few years to file your case. If you do not file your claim on time, you may lose your chance to take action, leaving you without compensation for your claim. 

Fortunately, you do have the opportunity to take action if you act fast. Your lawyer can help you act now, getting the needed evidence and filing all the right paperwork before your deadlines.

This action also keeps evidence, like traffic camera footage, fresh. Evidence can decay or be destroyed over time, leaving you with fewer pieces of evidence to use for your claim. Talk to your lawyer about acting now and getting the help you need. 

What if the Footage Does Not Clearly Show Who Is at Fault? 

Not every accident is a cut-and-dry case. In some cases, the footage may not be explicitly clear about who was at fault. It may even look like multiple people were at fault. 

In these cases, it is vital to act now to protect your compensation. If you accept part or all of the fault, you will lose a portion or all of your compensation for this mistake. Your compensation will be reduced by the percentage of fault you accept. 

If the footage is unclear, you may need to speak with your lawyer about other evidence to incorporate into your case. While the footage may not be perfect, other evidence can provide a different view and prove to the courts that you are due compensation. 

Because this evidence is not always clear, you may need someone to supplement the information provided by the footage. This evidence may include eyewitness statements, police reports, and expert witnesses. 

Talk with Your Lawyer About the Footage

After a serious car accident, you need as much evidence and guidance as possible for your case. Evidence like traffic camera footage may be vital to proving you are due compensation for your injuries and your suffering. 

But securing traffic camera footage of an accident without help can be difficult. You may need an attorney’s help getting the funds you are due for your suffering following an accident. Start with a free consultation, where the attorneys at John Foy & Associates can give you the answers you need about your evidence and the process of building your case. 

Our team is ready to speak with you, so you do not have to wait long to get the footage and start working on your lawsuit. When you are ready to speak with an attorney, call or complete our online contact form.