Traffic cameras in Texas typically do not store videos for long or at all, whether they are of car accidents or not.
While you might be able to get traffic camera footage after an accident, it is unlikely, as such videos typically aren’t retained in Texas. Still, it is worth confirming if that is the case, especially if your crash location was near a traffic camera in Fort Worth, and our lawyers can contact the appropriate agencies as soon as possible. Traffic camera footage alone cannot prove all aspects of car accident lawsuits, and our lawyers will need additional evidence to get the damages you need. This includes videos from local security camera systems, photos from the accident site, statements from eyewitnesses, and the findings of accident reconstruction experts.
For help with your case from our Fort Worth car accident lawyers, call The Queenan Law Firm to schedule a free case assessment at (817) 476-1797.
Can Victims Get Traffic Camera Footage After Fort Worth Car Accidents?
There are many traffic cameras in Fort Worth listed on the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) website, primarily located along popular roadways and at congested intersections. Even if you were injured near one of these cameras, there is no guarantee that footage will be kept for any extended period, if at all.
TxDOT traffic cameras and other similar devices are not meant to collect and store footage of accidents for victims to obtain. Instead, they monitor incidents that could affect drivers, weather conditions, lane closures, and travel times. Even though it is unlikely that traffic camera footage will be stored, our lawyers can quickly identify the appropriate agency to contact to request footage and inquire about its existence. If it is stored at all, it may only be available in the days immediately after a collision, so it is important to act fast to ensure its preservation.
Suppose your accident happened on a residential road or backroad in Fort Worth. In that case, it is highly unlikely that you can get traffic camera footage, as such devices typically don’t exist in these areas of Texas.
Even if our Fort Worth personal injury lawyers can get footage of your crash before it is deleted, that will not be enough to prove the negligent driver’s liability. While it may show the accident happening, footage won’t describe your injuries in detail or outline your total damages from the collision. This requires other evidence, namely medical records that contain victims’ diagnoses and necessary treatment. Your initial hospital records should line up with the accident’s date and time, so do not wait to get evaluated for any injuries you sustain in a crash. Our attorneys can collect records from providers throughout your case so we can promptly answer any questions about your injuries, your treatment, or its cost. So, while traffic camera footage is valuable to victims’ recoveries, it is not vital and cannot prove all aspects of a compensation claim for a car accident, such as your actual injuries or damages.
What if Victims Can’t Get Traffic Camera Footage After Accidents in Fort Worth?
Because traffic camera footage is rarely obtainable from TxDOT and other agencies after accidents, our lawyers will be prepared to investigate other sources of evidence, such as footage from local surveillance systems. We can pool photographs from the crash site, involve accident reconstruction experts to help determine the cause, and interview people who witnessed the accident and can provide firsthand accounts. Even when victims have traffic camera footage, much of this evidence is necessary to prove liability and recover damages.
Get Surveillance Footage
In lieu of stored traffic camera footage, videos from surveillance systems may exist, and our lawyers can act quickly to ensure they are not deleted. Private residences and commercial businesses might have security cameras on their properties in Fort Worth that capture videos showing certain parts of an accident or a crash in full. Surveillance camera owners might periodically override footage for storage space, so contacting them as soon as possible is crucial.
Pool Photos from the Scene
Like footage, photos from an accident can contain powerful imagery showing a victim’s immediate injuries, the property damage to their vehicle, and the debris from the collision. Such photos can give juries a clearer idea of an accident’s severity, strengthening claims that go to court in Fort Worth. In addition to photos you took as the victim, we might review images from law enforcement or witnesses who were present at the scene.
Interview Eyewitnesses
Eyewitness statements can strengthen many car accident compensation claims, whether victims can access traffic camera footage or not. Witnesses can corroborate the facts we present in your claim, including how the at-fault driver was negligent or reckless. They can also confirm what you did or did not do during the collision so that the defendant cannot argue comparative fault during settlement negotiations or a trial. The sooner we interview eyewitnesses, the better, as this will ensure their memories are fresh and their statements are accurate.
Enlist Accident Reconstruction Experts
Without video evidence to show how and why an accident happened, our lawyers can enlist accident reconstruction experts. These professionals work in reverse by reviewing photos and other evidence from scenes and can present their findings in court if necessary. Based on the point of impact, skid marks, and debris, reconstruction experts can identify each driver’s speed, direction of travel, and which of them hit the other. Because expert testimony can be so impactful, it might convince negligent drivers to offer better out-of-court settlements to victims that cover their damages to avoid the additional resources associated with a trial likely ending in the victim’s favor.
Call Our Attorneys for Help in Fort Worth
Call The Queenan Law Firm (817) 476-1797 to get a free case evaluation from our Dallas, TX car accident lawyers.