Traffic camera footage can significantly impact car accident cases. Visual footage is often among the best forms of evidence, which can either strengthen or weaken a case. However, procuring this type of evidence isn’t always easy.
An Atlanta car accident lawyer, though, can help you obtain or utilize traffic camera footage as evidence in your case and help you strengthen your claim. Here are the many roles that traffic camera footage can play in Atlanta car accident cases:
Evidence of Fault
Traffic cameras are usually installed at intersections or other strategic locations. Due to their positioning, they can easily capture video recordings of road activities, which can later be used to determine fault or liability.
The most important aspect of traffic camera footage is that it can show the sequence of events leading up to the collision and the actions of all drivers, and it can be used to showcase whether any traffic laws were violated.
Therefore, the evidence provided by these cameras can be extremely valuable to establish negligence or determine who had the right of way.
Corroborating Witness Statements
In the end, traffic camera footage serves as an objective witness and not only. This type of evidence can corroborate or contradict the statements of both parties and their witnesses. They will provide an unbiased account of what occurred.
This can lead to an easier way of resolving disputes related to the circumstances of how the accident occurred and who is at fault.
Reconstructing the Accident Event
Sometimes, traffic camera footage doesn’t always capture the whole event of a car accident. Yet, video footage can still be used by accident reconstruction experts to recreate the accident scene and determine certain factors depending on what the cameras capture. The factors that can be established even with uncomplete scene recordings include:
- Points of Impact
- Vehicle speeds
- Distances
By contributing to the analysis of how the accident occurred, traffic camera footage can reconstruct the accident event and postulate who may be at fault.
Disputing False Claims
In instances where traffic camera footage has recorded sufficient evidence to showcase a clear depiction of the incident, they can be used to dispute false claims. In car accidents, it’s not uncommon for parties to either falsify or exaggerate their injuries or the extent of the accident.
Traffic camera footage allows for a clear and unbiased view of how the incident occurred, refutes false claims, and protects the interests of all the parties involved.
Obtaining Traffic Camera Footage
In the event of a car accident, victims should focus on prioritizing their health and gathering evidence to build up their case. Traffic camera footage can make a substantial difference in any car accident case. However, obtaining the footage may not be as straightforward as you would expect.
In certain instances, you might need to undergo some legal procedures. For example, you might need to use a subpoena or request the appropriate authorities for the recordings. For example, the CCTV cameras installed in certain buildings, such as shops, might have captured the event.
In other instances, police officers dispatched to the accident scene may have accident footage. There may also be other sources that may imply other procedures for obtaining the recordings, but what matters is that you act quickly. Often, camera footage is overwritten or deleted after a certain period.
The retention period varies, so you should try to secure it as soon as possible. In this instance, working with a car accident lawyer can help speed up the process.
Working With a Car Accident Attorney
A car accident attorney can guide you through the legal process and help you obtain and properly utilize traffic camera footage to strengthen your case. While you rest and heal, your attorney will focus on building up your case and gathering evidence from multiple sources.
A lawyer will help you receive medical records and police records, help with witnesses, and even work alongside third-party experts, such as accident reconstruction professionals, to strengthen your claim.
If you find yourself at the negotiation table with the insurance companies, a lawyer will ensure you receive fair compensation for your injuries and other losses. They will use the traffic camera footage or other pieces of available evidence to get you a favorable outcome.
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