Drivers in Hillsborough County are regularly being observed by the thousands of traffic cameras dotted around the region. These cameras record people driving to work, the busy traffic on highways, and sometimes, serious car accidents.
Although state bodies sometimes set up and control these traffic cameras, there are private companies that record the data coming from the cameras. When an accident happens, it is now easier for an attorney to access the video footage and use it as evidence in an at-fault car accident claim.
Hillsborough Car Accident Lawyers at The Law Place
If you have been involved in a car accident in Hillsborough County caused by the negligence of another party, and you believe there could be camera footage of the accident, contact The Law Place today.
Our law firm can help you find camera footage of your car accident and use it as evidence in your personal injury claim. Video footage is powerful evidence, and it could help substantially increase the compensation you recover from your claim.
The Law Place has over 75 years of combined experience with personal injury law and car accident claims. Our Hillsborough personal injury lawyers care about protecting your legal rights and advocating on your behalf. We want to help you get the maximum amount of compensation possible for your car accident claim, which could enable you to have a full recovery.
If you want the best outcome possible for your case, contact The Law Place today for a free consultation at (941)-444-4444.
Camera Footage of Car Accidents in Hillsborough County
CCTV and traffic cameras record drivers on busy intersections and motorways 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These cameras are used for traffic signal management, to observe traffic patterns for safety improvements, and they sometimes contain Power Outage Emergency Beacons.
Although these cameras are owned by Hillsborough County, the government does not put money into storing the data coming from the cameras. As a result, this data is widely available to the public on websites such as WeatherBug.com.
In recent years, private companies have begun recording the data from these CCTV cameras and retaining it for their own purposes. As a result, people involved in car accidents have better access to camera footage of the incidents. When a victim of a car accident can access this camera footage, they can use it to prove fault in a personal injury claim.
Video footage is one of the strongest pieces of evidence you can have in a car accident claim. Without video, it is your word against the word of the at-fault driver, and the Judge has the final say on who is in the right. If you have camera footage showing that the other party directly caused your motor vehicle accident and your injuries, you are much more likely to recover compensation.
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How to Find Video of Your Car Accident in Hillsborough
Finding videos of your car accident in Hillsborough can be complicated. Traffic cameras, such as cameras at intersections and red-light cameras, are mostly owned and operated by Hillsborough County. However, the county does not record and store this data. Because of this, you cannot apply to the county for CCTV footage to be used in your personal injury case.
To find the video of your car accident on CCTV footage, you must request it from the company that records data on the camera. Not all cameras are used by these private companies, so you must first check to see if there is an available recording of your accident. Usually, it is easier to find camera footage of an accident at a busier intersection or highway.
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Do I Need a Lawyer to Get Car Accident Footage?
Because it is quite complicated to obtain car accident footage from private CCTV companies, we recommend hiring a lawyer to help with the process. An experienced car accident attorney will know which intersections are being recorded and may have gotten footage from the companies in previous cases.
Your Hillsborough lawyer will submit a video request form to the recording company and the Traffic Department, outlining the reason for obtaining the data. If the data was recorded by police officers or state bodies, they can submit a subpoena requesting the information for evidentiary purposes. If there are any issues with obtaining the data from the companies or a public body, your experienced attorney can manage these issues.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers.
Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Hillsborough County
There are some seriously dangerous roads and intersections in Hillsborough County that are hotspots for motor vehicle accidents. Drivers should take care while driving on these roads and intersections as best as possible:
- Waters Avenue.
- Anderson Road and Waters Avenue, Tampa.
- Sheldon Road and Waters Avenue, Tampa.
- Hillsborough Avenue and Sheldon Road, Town ‘N’ Country.
- US 301 and Gibsonton Drive, Riverview.
If you were involved in a car accident on any of these roads or intersections, a lawyer from The Law Place can help you get camera footage of the accident, if it is available. If we can get the footage, we can use it to your advantage in a personal injury claim.
Getting Compensation for a Car Accident in Hillsborough County
To get compensation for a car accident in Hillsborough County, victims must first claim with their car insurance company. Personal injury protection (PIP) should cover the first $10,000 worth of damages you are entitled to, including medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and replacement services. Your insurance policy does not cover non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, and work accident injuries.
If your injuries exceed the $10,000 limit, you will need to file a personal injury lawsuit against the other party to recover excess compensation. Often, hospital bills are extremely expensive, particularly if you have suffered serious injuries. As a result, you must build a strong fault-based claim against the other party to prove that they caused your injuries.
To file a personal injury lawsuit against the other party for damages sustained in a car accident, you will need the help of an experienced attorney. A Hillsborough car accident lawyer from The Law Place can help you file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party, backed with substantial evidence, to recover the maximum compensation that you deserve.
Using Video Evidence for a Car Accident Lawsuit
Video footage is some of the strongest evidence you can use in a car accident lawsuit. When you need to prove that the other party is at fault for your injuries, you must provide substantial evidence to prove their negligence.
This evidence can include witness reports, expert testimony, photos of the damage sustained by your vehicle, photos of the accident scene, and videos of the accident happening.
When you can put forward a clear video showing how the accident happened, it is much easier to prove that the other party was at fault. Otherwise, the Judge must take one person’s word over the other. The more substantial evidence you have to prove your case, the higher the compensation you will receive.
When a Judge can clearly see the accident on camera, whether it was a hit-and-run collision, a side-impact collision caused by running a red light, or a head-on collision caused by speeding, they could be more likely to increase the damages you recover.
Car Accident Camera FAQ
For How Long Is Car Accident Footage Stored?
As camera footage is stored by private companies, there is no set time frame for how long this data is stored. However, companies rarely keep this data for long. Red-light camera footage is typically stored for up to 30 days. With other traffic footage, it could be erased after just a few days.
It is important to act fast in car accident cases to get camera footage as quickly as possible. The longer you wait, the less chance you have of obtaining the footage.
Do I Have to Pay for Camera Footage?
Depending on where you retrieve the data from, you may need to pay a fee for camera footage of your car accident. If you know the exact time of the accident, it will be less expensive. This is because the footage is often charged based on the length of the videos.
What Type of Camera Footage Can I Access?
The camera footage available in your case depends on the circumstances of your accident and whether there were cameras present. Some types of camera footage available could include:
- Traffic camera footage at busy intersections.
- Highway footage.
- Red-light camera footage.
- Security camera footage, which could be owned by a private business.
- Tollbooth camera footage.
- Dashboard camera footage.
- Police video footage.
- Videos taken by witnesses and onlookers.
Contact The Law Place Today!
If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Hillsborough, contact a personal injury lawyer immediately. Traffic camera footage is extremely valuable in these cases for proving fault, but you must act fast. Because private companies record the data on CCTV cameras, they may not store the data for long. The sooner you act, the better chance you have at getting camera footage of your accident.
At The Law Place, we have a team of highly experienced car accident attorneys that can help you recover the compensation you deserve. Our law firm has won multiple awards and recognitions for our achievements in personal injury law, and many of our attorneys have 10.0 ratings on AVVO.
We have unique experience helping clients get video footage of their car accidents in Hillsborough County, and we can use this experience to help you. Our lawyers want to get the best possible outcome in your car accident case and ensure that you can fully recover from your injuries.
