How Traffic Camera Footage Can Strengthen Your Car Accident Case
When you’re involved in a car accident, the aftermath can be overwhelming. Between dealing with insurance companies, medical bills, and trying to establish who was at fault, it’s easy to feel lost. Fortunately, traffic camera footage can be a powerful tool to strengthen your car accident case. For residents of West Jordan, Utah, this technology might hold the key to proving liability and securing the compensation you deserve.
If you’re navigating the process after a car accident, understanding how traffic camera footage works and how a car accident attorney can help utilize it is crucial. Here’s what you need to know. At Cockayne Law, we have experience dealing with all types of car accident cases and can help you navigate this process.
Why Traffic Camera Footage is a Game-Changer
Traffic cameras are positioned to record essential moments as they occur. Located at intersections, highways, and other busy stretches of road, these cameras capture real-time footage that can provide an objective view of what led to a collision. Unlike eyewitness accounts, traffic camera footage eliminates the influence of human memory or bias, offering clear evidence in your car accident case.
Whether it’s determining how the crash happened or identifying who was at fault, camera footage is often a reliable piece of evidence. Unfortunately, accessing this footage isn’t always as simple as it sounds—which is where hiring a skilled car accident attorney becomes invaluable.
How Traffic Camera Footage Supports Your Case
Traffic camera footage can add significant value to your case in several ways. Here’s how it might work in your favor.
1. Proves Fault
Determining who was at fault in a car accident can make or break your claim. Drivers may dispute the events leading up to the collision, but traffic camera footage provides an unbiased account of the incident.
For instance, the video might show one driver clearly running a red light, failing to yield, or following another vehicle too closely. These visual details make it challenging for the at-fault driver to argue otherwise.
2. Dispels False Claims
It’s not uncommon for the other driver or their insurance company to make false accusations or deny responsibility. Video footage acts as a neutral witness, dispelling fraudulent claims. If another party claims you were speeding, cutting them off, or otherwise negligent, footage of the crash can refute those allegations.
3. Supports Injury Claims
Your physical injuries—not just the accident itself—are critical to building your case. Traffic camera footage may show the force of the collision and how it impacted your vehicle, corroborating your claims about the severity of your injuries. A car accident attorney can use this footage to work in tandem with medical records and expert testimony, ensuring your injury claims are compelling and evidence-based.
4. Provides a Timeline of Events
Traffic cameras often capture not just the accident itself but events leading up to it. This can provide a clear timeline, which helps establish whether parties involved were acting negligently. For example, footage might reveal texting while driving, illegal lane changes, or failing to stop at a critical moment.
How to Obtain Traffic Camera Footage
Gathering traffic camera footage can be one of the trickiest parts of the process. Unlike personal dash cam video, traffic camera footage is generally considered public property and is managed by government agencies or private companies. Here are ways to access the footage for your car accident case in West Jordan, Utah.
- Request from Local Government Agencies
Traffic camera footage is often controlled by city or state departments, such as the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT). Making a formal request to these entities as soon as possible is essential because most traffic footage is only stored for a short time before being overwritten or deleted.
- Contact Law Enforcement
If law enforcement officers responded to the scene, they may have already reviewed or collected footage for their investigation. A car accident attorney can assist with requesting access to this footage from police reports.
- Rely on a Car Accident Attorney
Obtaining traffic camera footage often involves navigating bureaucratic red tape or meeting specific legal requirements. A skilled car accident attorney can handle these complexities on your behalf, ensuring you meet deadlines and access the evidence you need to bolster your claim.
The Importance of Acting Quickly
Time is of the essence when requesting traffic camera footage. Many cameras overwrite their data within 72 hours to a month, depending on the system. Waiting too long might mean losing access to critical evidence that could prove your case.
When working with an experienced car accident attorney, they’ll know how to expedite this process and file the necessary requests promptly.
Work with Cockayne Law to Strengthen Your Case
If you’ve been in a car accident in West Jordan, Utah, don’t leave critical evidence like traffic camera footage untapped. Securing this footage can mean the difference between settling for less and obtaining full compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and damages.
At Cockayne Law, we specialize in handling car accident cases and know how to leverage evidence like traffic camera footage to build a robust case. From speaking with insurance companies to filing footage requests, we’ll handle every step of the process while you focus on recovery.
Contact Cockayne Law today to schedule a free consultation and begin the path to justice.
