Can You Get Surveillance Footage of Your Accident?
If another driver’s negligence leaves you injured, proving their negligence and demonstrating your related losses is the surest path toward obtaining the just compensation you need to help you fully heal. While there are surveillance cameras posted all over the great State of Florida – and such footage could help you prove your claim – obtaining this footage (if you are able to obtain it) is a complicated process that is best left to a skilled Tampa car accident attorney.
The Law Is Quiet on the Matter
While there are lots of red-light cameras and other surveillance devices in the Tampa area, there is also a lot of controversy related to these cameras and the right to privacy. Ultimately, there is no law in place that addresses whether or not citizens who’ve been injured in traffic accidents have the right to obtain available surveillance footage, but this also means that there is no direct legal ban against it.
It’s Complicated
Ultimately, there are some serious complications when it comes to obtaining surveillance footage, including:
- Traffic video storage systems generally only keep footage stored for from 24 to 72 hours.
- To obtain the footage, you’ll not only need to identify the correct local government agency to request it from but will need to file your request in the form of a subpoena.
- Government agencies are not well known for their prompt responses to such requests.
In other words, you need a dedicated Florida car accident attorney with considerable successful experience obtaining surveillance footage in your corner – and you need him or her sooner rather than later.
How Surveillance Footage Can Help Your Case
Another driver’s negligence caused you to be injured in a car accident, and the bulk of your claim will focus on demonstrating the other driver’s negligence, which will be backed up by the following kinds of evidence:
- Eyewitness testimony
- Pictures and videos taken at the scene
- Your recollections
- Expert testimony
While all of this can add up to a credible claim regarding the other driver’s negligence, nothing is as succinct and as irrefutable as direct evidence in the form of a video depiction. It’s important to note that, even if the video captures your own contributory negligence (you did something that contributed to the accident), in Florida, you have the legal right to pursue compensation for the percentage of your damages that the other driver is responsible for. So, if you are determined to be 10 percent responsible, the other driver will remain 90 percent responsible (and your settlement amount will reflect this).
Don’t Wait to Consult with an Experienced Tampa Car Accident Attorney
If another driver’s negligence leaves you injured in a car accident, surveillance footage may help you support your claim, and the savvy car accident attorneys at Tragos, Sartes & Tragos in Tampa may be able to help you to obtain the footage you need. Our dedicated legal team has reserves of experience gathering definitive evidence, and we’re here for you, too. To learn more, please reach out and contact us online or call us at 813-223-6405 today.