When Tennessee car accident victims file a claim with a negligent driver’s insurance company, they should prepare for anything. Including an insurance company accessing traffic camera footage of an accident and trying to use it against you.
Suppose a live, red-light, or speed camera filmed or photographed your recent accident in Tennessee. In that case, a negligent driver’s insurance company may be able to obtain that information. Insurance companies tend to do this to try and find a problem with a victim’s story or a reason to deny a claim. Hire a lawyer if an insurance company tries to use Tennessee traffic camera footage against you. An experienced Tennessee attorney can use other evidence, like security camera footage and photos from the accident scene, to show that a negligent driver caused your injuries.
We’re here to help car accident victims in Tennessee get the compensatory damages they deserve. For a free case evaluation with the Tennessee car accident lawyers at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
Can Insurance Companies Get Footage from Traffic Cameras in Tennessee?
Like many states, Tennessee has various types of traffic cameras along major highways and other areas to monitor traffic and weather conditions and deter reckless driving. Because Tennessee allows for live, red-light, and speed cameras, it is possible that your recent collision was caught on tape. If so, a Tennessee insurance company may be able to access that footage.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) maintains live traffic cameras along particularly crowded roadways throughout the state. These cameras stream live footage for motorists and TDOT staff to view. Many states do not store footage from these live traffic cameras; if they do, it is only for a short period. If by chance, a recent Tennessee car accident happened in view of a TDOT camera, the monitoring department might keep the footage. If so, a Tennessee insurance company can submit a public records request to TDOT.
Other traffic cameras in Tennessee, like red-light and speed cameras, take photos when triggered. While it is rare for these cameras to photograph an accident in Tennessee, it is not impossible. Since Tennessee police officers must keep photos from red-light and speed cameras long enough to identify a ticket negligent drivers, insurance companies can access these images if they act quickly enough.
Insurance companies are not the only parties that can obtain traffic camera footage of a collision in Tennessee. Your Nashville car accident lawyer can investigate a crash and learn whether photos or footage of your collision exist. If so, your attorney can obtain that information as well.
Why Do Insurance Companies Want Footage from Traffic Cameras in Tennessee?
Unfortunately, Tennessee insurance companies don’t necessarily want traffic camera footage to clarify an accident’s events. Instead, these companies often try to get footage or images of an accident to muddy a victim’s story. To better understand why an insurance company might want access to traffic camera footage, victims should hire an experienced Tennessee car accident lawyer.
Tennessee is a fault state for car accidents, meaning victims often file a claim with a negligent driver’s insurance after a crash. Because insurance companies want to avoid paying victims what they’re due, these companies might try to uncover information that contradicts a victim’s account of an accident. A common way to achieve this is by accessing traffic camera footage.
Images from traffic cameras, whether footage or still photos, are rarely clear. Bad angles and fuzzy images can give Tennessee insurance companies reason to call fault into question. Tennessee is a modified comparative fault state, meaning a victim’s damages can be reduced in proportion to their level of fault. If an insurance company claims you’re partially responsible for your injuries, it might award you lesser damages or deny your claim.
Unfortunately, many Tennessee victims are unaware of this tactic and choose to file an insurance claim with help from an attorney. An experienced Murfreesboro car accident lawyer can anticipate these unsavory efforts by insurance companies and fight against them with evidence of a negligent driver’s fault.
What if a Tennessee Insurance Company Tries to Use Traffic Camera Footage Against You?
If a Tennessee traffic camera filmed or photographed your recent accident, you should expect a negligent driver’s insurance company to try to use those images against you. When you have a skilled Tennessee car accident lawyer in your corner, you can fight back against those efforts.
If an insurance company tries to use traffic camera footage against you, hire an attorney. Your lawyer will look for potential security camera footage, which is often clearer and more dependable than traffic camera footage, that shows a negligent driver’s actions. A Tennessee attorney may also contact eyewitnesses who possibly photographed or filmed an accident’s aftermath. Using police reports, medical records, and other information, your attorney can easily compete with an insurance company’s grainy traffic camera footage or photos.
It is relatively rare for a traffic camera to film or photograph an accident or for a monitoring agency to store that information long enough for an insurance company to access it. Often, it’s more likely for a private security camera to film an accident or for witnesses to take pictures with their smartphones.
However, if an insurance company does obtain fuzzy traffic camera footage and tries to use it against you, hire an attorney. An experienced Tennessee lawyer can launch a thorough investigation into a crash to uncover strong evidence of an at-fault driver’s negligence. Your attorney can help you recover the compensation you deserve, whether through an insurance settlement or lawsuit.
Call Our Tennessee Attorneys After a Car Accident
If you were recently injured in a car accident in Tennessee, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Knoxville car accident lawyers at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
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