There are different ways to obtain traffic camera video footage of your car accident in Dallas. Most traffic cameras are publicly owned, and the state will generally provide the footage when necessary. However, it could also be possible to seek footage from privately-owned cameras.
The importance of obtaining this video evidence cannot be overstated. Juries like to have as much information as possible before they render a judgment, and video of the accident, as it happened, could provide the clearest picture of who was at fault.
There Are Various Ways to Obtain Traffic Camera Video Footage of Your Accident
It might seem obvious, but the simplest way to obtain traffic camera footage of your accident is to ask for it. The camera owner will often agree to provide a copy of the footage upon request.
These traffic cameras are typically publicly owned and operated by the Department of Transportation. That said, there could also be privately owned cameras that captured your car accident as well. These cameras could include anything from dashboard cameras to business security systems.
Asking for the footage from a camera might not always get you the result you desire. This is especially true for privately owned cameras, whose owners have no obligation to give you what you need.
Thankfully, your attorney has tools to obtain this evidence. Your car accident attorney could request the court issue a subpoena and order the footage owner to turn it over. When the court makes these orders, there is often little the owner can do but comply.
Of course, there are times when the real challenge is identifying whether traffic footage is even available. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the state will operate a camera in the vicinity of where your crash occurred.
Thankfully, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) offers a helpful list of traffic cameras in several metropolitan areas across the state.
Why Do I Need Video of My Car Accident?
Having video of your accident could be valuable to your case in several ways. While expert reports and witness testimony can paint a picture of what happened, a video gives insurance adjusters or juries a view of exactly what happened.
In addition, when the parties to the accident disagree on its cause, traffic camera footage could resolve the dispute.
Video is especially powerful when it comes to negotiating a settlement. For example, obtaining traffic footage that clearly shows you were not at fault could push the defendant or their insurance company to make a reasonable settlement offer.
Video evidence can also be invaluable during litigation, given that it is legal to use traffic footage at trial in Texas. Allowing a jury to see the car crash occur for themselves could be the strongest evidence available in some cases.
What Should I Look for in a Traffic Camera Video Recording?
There are different ways that traffic camera footage of your motor vehicle accident could benefit your case. A successful car accident case requires proof that the other driver involved in the accident was negligent, and traffic footage might be able to help with that. This video could be used to establish:
- If a driver was speeding
- If a driver ran a stop sign
- What happened after the collision
- What the road conditions were like
- If a driver failed to yield
Are There Any Drawbacks to Video Evidence?
Securing a copy of the traffic camera video that caught your car wreck can be helpful, but it will never guarantee that your case will be successful.
For instance, traffic cameras can only capture the accident from one perspective. Given that a vehicle collision can take place over hundreds of feet of roadway, not all of the accident might be captured.
The fact that the video only records one perspective might not resolve all of the factual disputes in a case. This is especially true if the other party finds another video that seemingly contradicts your evidence. In the end, there is no guarantee that traffic camera footage of an accident will be conclusive.
An Attorney Could Help You Obtain Traffic Camera Footage of Your Accident
One of the benefits of hiring an experienced Texas car accident lawyer to handle your case is that they could scour the accident scene for evidence of traffic cameras. If cameras were in a position to capture your collision, they could help you obtain video footage of your car crash in Texas.
This is only one of the ways that the attorneys of Loncar Lyon Jenkins could help you with your car accident case. Our team is prepared to guide you from the early days of your case until we are able to bring it to a final resolution. If you are ready to discuss your legal options, call us for a free consultation.
