Have you noticed that a large part of the population in the US has cameras? They’re found on street lights, stairwells, restaurants, clubs, and people also use cameras in their home. If you’ve been in an accident, video footage may play an important role in your injury case.
In this educational blog post, a motorcycle accident lawyer will explore the most common types of video footage used in a personal injury claim and how the footage may hold evidentiary value. Let’s get started.
Types Of Video Footage
There are multiple types of video footage that may be used in your claim. Some of the most common types of video include:
- Closed circuit TV. Closed circuit video is commonly used by business owners. Some stores don’t keep their video more than a day before it is deleted. So, it’s imperative that a video feed from a certain business or venue be accessed as soon as possible. It’s also prudent to find out whether the video feed is backed up to a cloud or offers another means to share the video with you and your attorney. For example, if you were hit at a four-way stop near a gas station, the gas station may have a camera that caught the accident. However, if you or your attorney don’t speak with the gas station manager promptly, the video could possibly be erased as our friends at Herschensohn Law Firm, PLLC can attest.
- Dash cams. Dash cams are becoming more and more common. However, some states have laws on where the dash cam may be located (legally) in the vehicle. Some dash cams provide storage directly on the camera by way of memory card. Others may be stored on a cloud. You or your lawyer may want to request dash cam footage as soon as possible.
- Home security system. If you are hurt on someone else’s property, they may have video surrounding the area of the accident. Most home security systems involving video make it to where it is stored on the cloud through the service provider. It’s always best to request footage to be provided to you or your attorney as soon as possible. Not everyone pays a fee to have the footage stored on the cloud. You don’t want to miss your opportunity to save the footage. People with security cameras may not pay for storage. It could be quickly written over.
- Cell phones. Most cell phones provide the ability to record video. If someone has footage of your accident, they could be a valuable witness. Make sure to get their contact information to obtain a copy of the video.
Evidence
Video footage plays an important role in your accident claim. It may act as evidence showing how the accident took place. It can also document road conditions, injuries, and property damage. Talk with your attorney to determine the easiest way to access footage that you did not record as they can help guide you through this scenario to get the evidence needed for your case.