After a car accident, any evidence showing an at-fault party’s negligence can be helpful to victims, including traffic camera footage. Because of that, it’s important for victims to learn how to obtain potential traffic camera footage of a crash in Mississippi.
If there is traffic camera footage of your recent Mississippi car accident, a lawyer can help you obtain it. That said, it’s important for victims to understand that the chances of a traffic camera filming and storing footage of a crash for a considerable period of time are quite low. Even if there isn’t traffic camera footage of your recent car accident, don’t worry. An experienced lawyer can use other evidence, like security camera footage and eyewitness testimony, to prove a negligent driver’s fault in a Mississippi car accident lawsuit.
Our attorneys are here to help Mississippi victims hold negligent drivers accountable. For a free case evaluation with the Mississippi car accident lawyers at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
Can I Get Traffic Camera Footage of a Mississippi Car Accident?
Generally, there are three common types of traffic cameras used throughout the country: live, red-light, and speed cameras. Each state has its own laws regarding the use of such cameras and whether or not they’re permitted. In Mississippi, only live traffic cameras are allowed. So, to get traffic camera footage of a car accident, you may have to contact the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT).
Like many states, Mississippi’s Department of Transportation maintains live traffic cameras throughout the state. These cameras are generally situated at busy intersections and highways to monitor the flow of traffic and weather conditions. MDOT cameras stream live footage online for staff and drivers to access. If an MDOT camera did film your recent Mississippi car accident, it’s important that you hire an attorney. MDOT may not store footage for very long, if at all. While it may be difficult for injured victims to contact MDOT to request footage, an experienced Marietta car accident lawyer can do so. Acting quickly is important if you think an MDOT camera filmed your accident, so any existing footage isn’t deleted.
Mississippi does not allow for red-light or speed cameras. These cameras don’t film footage but take photos of a driver as they run a stoplight or drive past a sensor speeding. Because red-light and speed cameras are not permitted in Mississippi, you cannot access such photos after a car accident.
What Are the Chances that There is Traffic Camera Footage of My Mississippi Car Accident?
Unfortunately for Mississippi car accident victims, it’s relatively unlikely that a traffic camera will film a collision. For that to happen, you must be in view of an MDOT traffic camera and access the footage immediately after an accident, if it exists at all.
Although many MDOT traffic cameras are situated throughout Mississippi, the chances that one filmed your accident aren’t very high. In fact, if your accident occurred on a local road in Mississippi, it’s almost impossible that an MDOT camera filmed it. Remember, these devices are often located on busy highways, not backroads.
It can be difficult to contact government agencies, like MDOT, and request information. Your request might be delayed or ignored, jeopardizing your access to MDOT traffic camera footage. That is why hiring a Jackson car accident lawyer is important if you think a traffic camera filmed your accident. If it’s true that there is no available traffic camera footage of your recent crash, an attorney can investigate an accident and uncover other evidence to support your claim.
When you consider the fact that Mississippi doesn’t allow for red-light or speed cameras, it becomes clear just how unlikely it is for a traffic camera to film or photograph a car accident. Upon learning this, Mississippi victims might be understandably frustrated. However, your attorney will be prepared for that scenario since a lack of traffic camera footage is often the norm in car accident lawsuits.
What if There isn’t Traffic Camera Footage of My Mississippi Car Accident?
You may be disappointed if you were recently injured in a car accident in Mississippi and learned that there is no traffic camera footage of your collision. Because Mississippi car accident lawyers don’t expect to have access to traffic camera footage, your attorney will be prepared to build your case for compensation using other evidence.
While having access to traffic camera footage of a Mississippi car accident is ideal, it is not the norm. Instead of relying on non-existent traffic camera footage to prove a negligent driver’s fault, your attorney will seek to uncover additional evidence that is just as compelling.
For example, suppose your recent collision happened in view of a private security camera. In that case, your Mississippi car accident lawyer can contact the necessary business owner or homeowner to request access to potential footage.
When car accidents happen, people often stop and pay attention. If there are eyewitnesses to your accident, get their contact information. Eyewitness testimony of an accident’s events can be similarly as effective as footage of a collision. If witnesses used their smartphones to take videos or photos after a Mississippi car accident, that’s even better. Your attorney can contact eyewitnesses to request access to those images to strengthen your compensation claim.
An experienced Biloxi car accident lawyer knows not to rely on potential traffic camera footage to prove a negligent driver’s fault. Your access to compensation is just too important. Instead, your attorney will use their skill and resources to uncover evidence of an at-fault party’s negligence so that you can recover the compensatory damages you deserve in a Mississippi car accident lawsuit.
Call Our Lawyers After a Car Accident in Mississippi
If you were recently injured in a car accident in Mississippi, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Hattiesburg car accident lawyers at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
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