Traffic camera footage can be a valuable tool for proving what occurred in a car accident, and in some situations, it can be accessible. A component of our goal as your car accident attorney is to prove that you are owed compensation for your losses and to do that, we may seek out this type of evidence. Accessing traffic camera footage for an injury lawsuit is not always possible, but there is often information the Okemos personal injury lawyer at White Law PLLC can use to prove your losses.
When Traffic Camera Footage Is Available
It is important to note that traffic cameras are not everywhere, and they may not be working when they are present. Most of the time, though, these cameras can have valuable data that could be used in your personal injury lawsuit if it is available to us. Several factors play a role in that process.
Traffic cameras may be available depending on the laws within the community and the state. Generally speaking, as your attorney, we can petition for access to this data when it may be valuable in providing fault in a car accident. This may be done through the Department of Motor Vehicles or the city, depending on who owns and manages these cameras. It may be more difficult and time-consuming for you to request this data.
If you believe a traffic camera is present, you can request the police officer in that area to provide you with access to the information. There are times when a private company may be used to manage these cameras, and that may mean seeking out legal action to require the data from the camera to be made accessible. Each situation is vastly different, but we are committed to exhausting all options when available.
Your Fight Is Our Fight
The Importance of Getting Traffic Camera Footage
The more evidence you have in a personal injury case, the easier it is for you to hold those responsible accountable. Traffic camera footage is incredibly valuable for many reasons, including that it captures the accident in real time. It can show information that is helpful in your case, including:
- That the other driver was distracted and not looking at the road
- That the driver was speeding
- That there is a phone in their hand while driving
- Details about who entered the intersection first
- Information about the lights at the time of the incident
It also can show the placement of all parties at a specific time and uncover any additional information about what occurred, why it happened, and who caused the incident to happen. In every situation, this data is invaluable for creating a clear scenario of what occurred. If it is available, it is critical that we work to obtain it.
The Insurance Company May Access the Information
Keep in mind that as a part of the due diligence that the insurance company completes, they are likely to gather information about the accident from camera footage as well. They are likely to document the information and use it to verify the claim or to deny the claim, depending on what they find. That is one reason it is so important to be clear and honest about what you remember from the incident.
- Provide only facts about the incident to the police that you are confident are accurate.
- If you do not know the answers to a question, state that you do not know and do not guess.
- Be sure that you understand the implications of the camera footage on your behalf, such as whether it may show that you were also on your phone or speeding.
Most of the time, our attorneys will gather this information as a way to confirm that you did not cause the incident to occur. The insurance company can do the same thing. As long as the information clearly depicts what you believe occurred, there is very little room for the insurance company to fight your claim, and White Law PLLC can help in your fight.
We understand that you may be going through a difficult situation and we are ready to help however we can.
How to Get Access to Traffic Camera Footage
In Michigan, there are restrictions on who and when this data can be accessed. Typically, with hundreds of cameras in place throughout the state, you may believe it is very easy to request the information and to find it available to you. However, there are limitations to these cameras in that they are only used to record in some situations, including for training and monitoring traffic.
The state’s laws do not allow for automated enforcement cameras to be used in the state, which means that you may not have camera data available to you. There are cameras at most railroad crossings that can provide some information, but these are often hard to access as well. It may be possible to request information from any camera, and it may provide a small glimpse into what occurred.
If you believe that the incident, or the moments before or after it, should have been captured on a camera, be sure to share that information with our attorneys so we can pursue access to it. Know that if this data is available, it may require petitioning the court for access to it, and even then, it may only be a fraction of the information. That is why it is likely just one component of the information you need to prove your case.
We Use Camera Data as a Starting Point
When you work with our attorneys, we will use the camera data available to help back up, confirm, or otherwise support the other evidence we obtain in your case. Our attorneys work to gather as much information as possible to minimize the risk that any data is left behind. This is just one component in the picture.
You will always work directly with your attorney throughout your case.
Set Up a Consultation to Discuss Your Case with Our Team
Call White Law PLLC today to discuss your case during a consultation. There is no cost to you for this case review, and it will open the conversation about what your legal rights are. Seek out our help now to provide your right to compensation.
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