If you have been involved in a car accident, you may pursue legal action to seek monetary compensation for your incurred damages. However, you will be burdened with fulfilling the burden of proof before collecting any compensation. To satisfy the burden of proof, you must collect evidence that proves the other driver’s negligence. While a police report and accident photos are valuable, hard evidence showing the accident occurring in real-time, such as intersection camera recordings, have proven incredibly effective. Please continue reading to learn how intersection camera footage can help you prove your case in an accident claim and how a proficient Prince George’s County Auto Accident Lawyer can help you get the justice you deserve.
Can intersection camera recordings help prove an accident claim?
Firstly, it’s essential to understand that Maryland is one of the five jurisdictions in the U.S. that continues to follow the contributory negligence doctrine instead of comparative negligence. In jurisdictions that use contributory negligence as a common law tort rule, a plaintiff is barred from recovering compensation if they’re found to have contributed to the cause of their own injuries, even if that contribution was minimal. Essentially, if a plaintiff is found even just 1% at fault for the cause of a collision, they will be barred from recovering compensation for the damages they’ve incurred.
With the contributory negligence doctrine in mind, if the other driver claims that you were partially at fault for the cause of the collision, it could impact your ability to receive compensation for your losses. If you have intersection camera recordings, it may contradict their arguments, damaging their credibility and ultimately proving they were 100% at fault for the cause of the accident.
What are the limits of traffic cameras?
Like many other drivers, you probably assume that traffic cameras are constantly recording at every intersection and street. However, the truth is there are limits to their functions. Traffic cameras were primarily designed to capture traffic violations. Some photos may be archived as they usually only focus on license plate numbers.
Therefore, it’s beneficial to seek footage from private surveillance cameras. Many stores and homes have surveillance cameras installed. These cameras can catch real-time footage showing the facts of the incident. Ultimately, this hard evidence can significantly impact your accident claim as it can help determine liability.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident and there is a dispute about the facts of the incident, please don’t hesitate to contact a determined lawyer from the legal team at Timian & Fawcett, LLC, who can help you gather pertinent evidence that supports your claim.