Can I Acquire Traffic Camera Footage Of My Florida Car Accident?
In Florida, a car accident victim can seek compensation from another motorist after sustaining a severe injury in a car accident if the other motorist is at fault for the accident. However, people don’t just admit fault. Therefore, it is always up to a car accident victim to prove that the other motorist’s negligence caused their car accident and injury. To prove your claims beyond a reasonable doubt, you must gather and present evidence indicating fault on the other driver’s part. Since traffic cameras are all around Florida, traffic camera footage is one form of evidence that can help your car accident case. But, can you acquire traffic camera footage of your car accident in Florida?
You can acquire the traffic camera footage of your Florida car accident, but you might end up facing some serious difficulties if you try to do that alone. When working towards obtaining any evidence for your car accident case, or any other personal injury case, always involve an attorney. A qualified attorney understands what they need to do to obtain evidence for you.
The Importance of Traffic Camera Footage
Suppose you believe another person’s negligence, specifically a traffic infraction, caused your car accident; thus your severe injury. In that case, traffic camera footage can be an invaluable piece of evidence in your case. When trying to prove that the other driver’s negligence caused your accident and injury, you should focus on collecting evidence that paints a clear image of what happened in the involved parties’ minds. What better way to show a judge or the defense team how your accident occurred than through video footage? With traffic camera footage, it becomes hard for the other motorist to deny that their negligence caused the accident. Traffic camera footage can help you prove your claims since traffic cameras capture real-time events.
Nonetheless, it is vital to note that traffic camera footage can, to some extent, work against you. If you are partly at fault for the accident, the defense team will see that in the video, and your compensation might suffer. Nonetheless, even if you are partly to blame for the accident, your payment will only be reduced by the percentage of your fault. Therefore, suppose the other driver carries the bigger percentage of the blame. In that case, you might still end up receiving a good amount of compensation.
Types of Traffic Camera Footage You Can Obtain in Florida
Generally, in Florida, your attorney can help you obtain traffic camera footage from private or government-owned traffic cameras.
Your attorney will most likely need to submit a subpoena or a formal request to obtain footage from a government-owned traffic camera. Once submitted, you will need to wait for a response. On the other hand, to acquire footage from a private traffic camera, your attorney can simply contact the company, organization, or local business that owns the camera and request permission to access the footage. Your attorney can also submit a subpoena to a private party if they need to.
Acting Promptly Is Key
Some traffic cameras write off footage after 24 or 72 hours. Therefore, if you need help obtaining traffic camera footage, you must contact an attorney immediately after your accident. You need to preserve this evidence for your sake, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a car accident attorney if you think video footage from a traffic camera can help your car accident case.
What If I Am Unable To Obtain Footage From a Traffic Camera?
An attorney can help you acquire traffic camera footage for your Florida car accident case, but, sometimes, obtaining footage can prove impossible. Also, considering that some cameras write off footage after a short time and private parties as well as government agencies can take time to respond to requests, you need to have a backup plan. Apart from traffic camera footage, there are other options you can pursue.
Some of the other options you can pursue with your attorney include;
Police Dashboard Cameras
Suppose, at the time of your accident, law enforcement was within or near the area. In such a case, the chances are, a police dashboard camera captured your accident. If that’s the case, your attorney can help you obtain footage from the police dashboard camera.
Security Cameras
If you believe a security camera captured your accident, your attorney can request the private party that owns the camera for permission to use the camera. On the other hand, if the government owns the camera you want to use, your attorney will need to make a formal request so you can be granted access to the footage.
Contact Us for Help Today
Were you injured in a car crash and need help obtaining crucial evidence for your case and recovering the money you are owed for damages incurred? If so, contact the Naples car accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., today at 239-500-5000 to schedule a consultation.
Resource:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.81.html
