In order for a plaintiff’s car accident lawsuit to succeed, they must prove that their injuries occurred because of the defendant’s negligent behavior. Various types of evidence can help establish who is at fault. Many injured drivers question whether traffic camera footage can be used to demonstrate which drivers are responsible for their collisions.
Insurance companies may try to get footage from traffic cameras in New York car accident cases. However, there are limits to what can be recovered. Most cameras merely provide a live stream and do not record footage. However, in some instances, private surveillance footage and photos from speed cameras can be used to reveal the cause of a crash.
If you were hurt because of a car accident in New York, get help recovering the payment you deserve. Get in touch with our experienced New York car accident lawyers by calling The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 to review your case for free.
Recovering Footage from Traffic Cameras in New York
Traffic cameras are used to surveil intersections and busy streets throughout New York. Many motorists believe that these cameras are constantly recording their every move. However, most cameras are very limited in their functions. The vast majority of traffic cameras in New York do not record information. Rather, they merely provide a live stream to the New York Department of Transportation. Some photos taken by these cameras are archived and are accessible through 511NY. However, the archived photos rarely provide relevant evidence that can be used in your car accident case. Accordingly, footage from live-feed traffic cameras is not often recovered by insurance companies in New York.
There are certain speed cameras that take photos of driver’s license plates if they proceed past the devices at illegal speeds. If your accident was caused by a speeding driver, photos from a speed camera may be used to support a claim that that driver is at fault. Our experienced Buffalo car accident lawyers can recover any relevant photos from speed cameras in your case.
In some instances, private security cameras capture the events that unfold before, during, and after an accident. A great number of businesses have security cameras that surveil parking lots and public roads. Footage from these cameras can be highly useful when proving who was at fault for a crash. Insurance companies do not always think to recover private camera footage. However, our attorneys will investigate whether any relevant surveillance footage from private cameras exists in your case.
Will Traffic Camera Footage Affect Your Insurance Claim in New York?
New York courts abide by no-fault car insurance laws. This means that many victims must pursue compensation for their car accident injuries by filing claims with their own insurers. You do not need to prove another driver was at fault for your accident in order to recover benefits from your own insurance company. Accordingly, traffic camera footage will not affect your ability to file a no-fault insurance claim in New York.
However, insurance claimants will only be able to recover damages related to medical expenses and lost income they suffered because of their accidents. Plaintiffs in car accident lawsuits will have access to certain types of compensation that are unavailable to insurance claimants. If you were injured because of a crash, you should contact our Brooklyn car accident lawyers for help assessing the legal options available to you.
Will Traffic Camera Footage Affect Your Car Accident Lawsuit in New York?
The type of injuries you suffered because of your accident will usually determine your ability to file a lawsuit against an at-fault party. I.S.C. Law § 5102 establishes that victims may only bring cases against other drivers if they suffered a “serious” injury. Our team can help determine if your injury falls into one of the qualifying categories:
- Significant disfigurement
- Fractured or broken bone
- Permanent limitation of use of a body member or organ
- Substantial limitation of use of a body system or function
- Significantly full disability lasting a minimum of 90 days
Plaintiffs in car accident lawsuits will have to show that they were injured because of defendant’s careless actions. While traffic camera footage is rarely archived, there are occasions where relevant surveillance footage can be used to influence the outcome of a case. For example, private security camera footage showing that a defendant made an improper left turn before striking a vehicle can be used to show that defendant is at fault. This type of footage can be obtained from ATMs, storefronts, and other sources.
However, recovering pertinent surveillance footage can be a frustrating endeavor. Businesses are not under any sort of legal requirement to give the footage to plaintiffs. If you have your lawyers contact them, they may be more likely to hand over the evidence. Our experienced Harlem car accident lawyers can help obtain any footage that may be used to prove another driver is at fault in your case.
Will Not Recovering Traffic Camera Footage Affect Your Car Accident Lawsuit in New York?
Your car accident lawsuit can still prevail without the use of surveillance footage. A great number of car crashes happen without being recorded by any sort of traffic camera or security camera. Fortunately, there are many other types of evidence that can be used to show that another driver is liable for your accident. The following are examples of evidence regularly used by our New York car accident lawyers:
- Accident reports
- Witness statements
- Photos from the scene
- Physical evidence from the scene
- Personal recollections
- Expert witness statements
Accordingly, there are many ways to prove fault without traffic camera footage. Our team can help gather the evidence required to win your case.
If You Were Injured Because of a New York Car Accident, Our Attorneys Can Help
If you were hurt because of a car crash, seek guidance and support from our experienced Albany car accident lawyers by calling The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 to review your case for free.