Red light traffic cameras have become increasingly popular across the U.S. as local municipalities and authorities seek to enhance transportation and driver safety. A traffic camera can capture red light traffic violations, but can traffic cameras be used as evidence in a car accident case in Maryland? The answer is yes!
If you get into a car accident near a traffic camera in Maryland, the video footage may prove vital in a lawsuit. Although traffic camera information is often important evidence in a Maryland car accident lawsuit, obtaining it can be challenging.
Contact Zirkin & Schmerling Law at 410-753-4611 for help requesting the camera footage from your car accident. Our experienced attorneys are committed to delivering personalized legal strategies tailored to your unique needs and circumstances.
How Are Traffic Cameras Used in Maryland?
The primary use of traffic cameras or red light cameras is to assist local transportation authorities and law enforcement. They are mainly used to capture data like speed or license plates to prove a driver ran a red light.
When caught running red lights by a traffic cam, a license plate captured by surveillance cameras tells local authorities who to send the citation to, and these citations usually carry a fine.
Some major intersections are equipped with red light cameras that capture real-time video footage 24 hours a day. If an accident occurs at one of those intersections, live footage could be used as evidence to prove what happened for legal purposes.
How Fast Do I Need to Get the Footage?
Most traffic cameras do not store footage for more than a few weeks. Some data may even be erased after only ten days.
The footage for a car accident case must be obtained as quickly as possible before the crucial evidence is destroyed.
Injured in a car accident? Contact Zirkin & Schmerling Law at 410-753-4611 for dedicated help filing your car accident claim.
What Does Maryland Law Require to Determine Liability in a Car Crash?
To prove fault in a car accident in Maryland, you must establish several key elements.
Here are the legal requirements you need to meet:
Duty of Care: Demonstrate at-fault driver owed you a duty of care.
Breach of Duty: Show that the other driver breached this duty of care by speeding, running a red light, distracted driving, or other forms of negligent or reckless behavior.
Causation: Establish that the breach of duty by the other driver caused the collision and your damages.
Damages: Provide evidence that you incurred damages (personal or property damage) as a result of the car accident.
Get the legal help you need to collect valuable evidence from police officers, traffic cameras, and witness statements to prove the at-fault driver caused the crash.
Contact Zirkin & Schmerling Law at 410-753-4611 for a free case evaluation and to begin building your car accident case. With decades of local experience and a proven track record, we are dedicated to securing the best possible results for you and your family.
How Can Traffic Camera Footage Help in a Maryland Car Accident Case?
When involved in an auto accident, an accident victim may pursue legal action to seek monetary damages. However, you must gather evidence demonstrating the other driver’s negligence caused the car accident.
Traffic camera video footage can be a powerful piece of evidence in proving an accident claim in Maryland. This visual record can clearly show how the accident occurred, including the actions of all vehicles involved and any contributing factors like road conditions or traffic signals. By providing an unbiased, real-time account of the incident, traffic camera footage can help establish fault and support your version of events, significantly strengthening your claim.
Maryland car accident law includes a contributory negligence doctrine rather than comparative negligence. Under contributory negligence, a plaintiff is barred from recovering compensation if they are found to have contributed to the accident. If a plaintiff is found even 1% at fault for causing a car accident, they will be barred from recovering compensation for their damages.
When the other driver claims you were partially at fault for the collision, you will need significant evidence to prove they were entirely at fault for the crash.
What Other Evidence Is Needed?
While video footage from where the collision occurred is a powerful tool, additional proof of the car wreck will bolster your car accident claim.
Eyewitness testimony, police reports, dashboard cameras, and recordings of other relevant factors are as useful as video evidence in personal injury cases.
How to Request Video Footage from MDOT Cameras
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is in charge of traffic cameras. Unfortunately, obtaining traffic camera footage is not easy.
In most cases, you must work with an attorney who can help you submit a Freedom of Information Act request. In some cases, you may even need to submit a subpoena. However, there is no guarantee that they will still have the traffic camera footage you are looking for.
Some places only store footage for ten days, but others may hold onto footage for up to 30 days. If no traffic cameras were present, it would greatly reduce the chance that evidence of the accident would be captured on video footage.
Zirkin & Schmerling’s personal injury lawyers know how to build a strong case after car accidents. Call 410-753-4611 today for a case evaluation.
What Type of Damages Can Traffic Footage Help Me Recover?
To strengthen your chance of recovering from car accident damages, it’s crucial to gather as much evidence as possible from the scene of your car accident.
With clear traffic footage to bolster your evidence, you can recover the following damages:
Current and future lost wages: The income you have lost and will continue to lose due to your inability to work.
Current and future medical bills: Coverage for your ongoing medical treatments, surgeries, medications, and any future healthcare needs related to the accident.
Necessary car repairs: Reimbursement for the cost of repairing or replacing your damaged vehicle.
In-home healthcare and domestic services: Costs associated with any required home healthcare or domestic services due to your injuries.
Physical pain, mental anguish, and emotional distress: Damages for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of the crash.
Overall diminished quality of life: Damages for reducing your quality of life due to the injuries sustained.
Loss of consortium: Damages for the accident’s impact on your relationship with your spouse or family, including loss of companionship and support.
Home Modification Costs: Expenses related to modifying your home to accommodate any disabilities resulting from car accidents, such as wheelchair ramps or accessible bathrooms.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Compensation for victims who can no longer take part in activities and hobbies enjoyed before the accident.
It is important to contact a dedicated auto accident lawyer immediately for help determining fault in your car wreck.
To build a strong case against the other party, Contact a Zirkin & Schmerling personal injury lawyer or call 410-753-4611 for a free consultation for your claim today. We pride ourselves on our compassionate approach, ensuring you feel supported throughout your legal journey.
What to Do When You’re in a Car Accident
Follow these steps in an accident:
Ensure safety: If possible, move to a safe location, such as the side of the road. Turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers.
Check for injuries: Assess yourself and your passengers for any injuries. If anyone is injured, call 911 immediately to request medical assistance.
Call the police: Report the accident to the police, even if it seems minor. A police report can be crucial to provide details to the other driver’s insurance adjuster.
Exchange information: Obtain contact, insurance, and vehicle information from the other driver(s) involved in the accident. This includes names, phone numbers, addresses, insurance policy numbers, and license plate numbers.
Document the accident scene: Use your cell phone camera to take photos of the accident scene and vehicle damage. Capture different angles and include images of traffic and security cameras at the scene.
Gather witness information: If there are any witnesses, collect their contact information and ask for their account of what happened.
Seek medical attention: Even if you feel fine, seeing a doctor as soon as possible is important.
Notify your insurance company: Inform your insurance company about the accident as soon as possible, but do not admit fault.
Keep records: Maintain a file of all documents related to the accident and any correspondence with insurance companies and police officers.
Consult an attorney: Contact a compassionate car accident attorney to discuss your legal options for proving liability and pursuing compensation after your car accident.
Contact a Zirkin & Schmerling Personal Injury Lawyer for Your Car Crash
Can Traffic Cameras Be Used as Evidence in a Car Accident Case in Maryland?
The answer is yes, and if you think a security camera or traffic camera footage is available for your car accident, speak to our personal injury lawyers immediately. Most people struggle to get traffic camera footage evidence independently, which seriously limits their ability to recover compensation.
If there weren’t cameras present, it’s still wise to work with a trustworthy attorney to file your car accident claim and obtain other evidence to ensure you get the damages you deserve.
At Zirkin and Schmerling Law, we know how to obtain traffic cam footage in car accident cases and prove traffic violations or other negligent behavior made the two cars collide. We will do what it takes to find camera footage to hold the right party accountable. Your well-being is our top priority. We are here to provide comprehensive legal support to help you navigate through these challenging times.
Can Traffic Cameras Be Used as Evidence in a Car Accident Case in Maryland? Contact us or call us at 410-753-4611 to set up a free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys today.