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To win a vehicle accident claim, one must usually collect evidence after the accident utilizing modern devices like red-light security camera footage, nearby building security camera video and electronic on-board devices (for truck accidents) in addition to witness statements and accident scene photographs. For those trying to locate a hit-and-run driver, these evidence types are especially important. Here are some helpful tips to win your vehicle accident case.
Collecting Evidence after Car Accident: Types
Surveillance Camera
If it occurred around a local business, there might have been security cameras that captured the accident. Although owners aren’t required to show or turn over the footage, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Highway Traffic Cameras
The New York Department of Transportation (DOT) has closed-circuit television systems (CCTV) installed along specific state roadways. If the crash occurred on one of these highways, it may help show what happened.
Intersection/Red-Light Cameras
The number of red-light cameras is increasing across New York roadways, particularly on Nassau County’s Hempstead Turnpike. These cameras may be owned by the DOT or a private company. While these cameras are installed for the purpose of ticketing drivers who run red lights, they also can be useful pieces of evidence for everything from a pedestrian accident claim to a semi-truck crash claim. This is because they capture what happens directly before and during traffic pattern changes at lights.
Collecting Evidence After a Vehicle Accident: Obtaining Video Footage
Private companies and/or owners can be contacted when collecting evidence after a car accident. More than likely, there will be challenges in obtaining it. As a result, this may necessitate a court subpoena, which usually requires assistance from an attorney.
Of course, if the accident caused someone to suffer serious or fatal injuries, then it would be important to secure legal counsel. There are a variety of complex issues that could be faced in these circumstances, so it’s important to have help from an attorney who is familiar with car accident cases.
An important issue to consider when collecting video evidence after a car accident is timing. Depending on the type of camera and its use, the footage may be kept only for a limited amount of time. It is critical to act quickly. In fact, the preservation of other types of evidence could become a factor, so it may be damaging to one’s case to delay things.
Other Types of Evidence That Could Help in a Vehicle Accident Case
What’s caught on camera can help substantiate someone’s claim about what happened. But it shouldn’t be the only source of evidence utilized after a serious car accident. Pairing it with other types of proof can help build a stronger case. For instance, pictures taken of the damaged vehicles or the accident scene may help show the type of crash and the likelihood of what happened.
Statements from witnesses are another important source of evidence. What someone saw just before the collision (such as the other driver swerving and driving erratically) or upon impact (such as the other driver running a red light) may help bolster the case.
If the injuries sustained in a crash were disabling or life-threatening, it’s important to get as much evidence as can be obtained.
