Surveillance Footage: How it Can Impact Your Rights to Compensation in a Kentucky Personal Injury Claim
Security cameras are everywhere, which can help personal injury victims. Footage from a nearby business, a traffic camera, or an apartment complex often captures how an accident happened and who was to blame.
Unfortunately, this type of evidence tends to disappear quickly. Our experienced Madisonville personal injury lawyer explains common sources of surveillance video, ways it can impact your claim, and how we help preserve it.
Common Sources of Surveillance Footage and Why It Matters in Kentucky Injury Claims
When car crashes, falls, or other accidents happen, the at-fault party can be held liable for your losses under the Kentucky Statutes. Evidence plays a key role in getting compensation, and surveillance footage is particularly valuable. Common sources of surveillance footage include:
- Traffic and intersection cameras operated by city or county transportation departments that capture reckless driver behavior.
- Security systems at retail stores, restaurants, and other businesses that show obvious hazards.
- Residential doorbell and driveway cameras that frequently capture street-level activity.
- Parking lot cameras at shopping centers, apartment complexes, and other places where vehicle and pedestrian accidents occur.
- Dashboard cameras mounted in other vehicles traveling near you at the time of a crash.
- Body camera footage from law enforcement officers who responded to an accident scene.
Each of these sources captures events differently and may play a vital role in helping you get compensation.
What Kentucky Injury Victims Should Know About Preserving Surveillance Evidence
According to studies by the University of Kentucky, close to 500,000 residents suffer personal injuries each year. Motor vehicle collisions and falls or other accidents in public places are the leading causes. Surveillance footage from the scene helps show how your injuries happened and who was to blame.
However, most surveillance systems operate on automatic recording cycles, and footage from your accident may be overwritten within 24 to 72 hours afterward. Getting professional legal representation helps protect your rights in this situation. Actions we can take to help include:
- Sending a legal preservation demand to property owners and businesses before footage is overwritten.
- Sending a spoliation letter, putting the footage holder on legal notice that the recording is relevant and that they could face legal consequences for deleting it.
- Making a formal records request to public agencies, which often have their own timelines and procedures.
- Examining surveillance footage to determine how it can be used to support your claim.
Even partial or low-resolution footage can establish key facts about your injuries, how they happened, and who is to blame.
Request a Consultation Today With Our Experienced Madisonville Personal Injury Lawyer
Surveillance footage can play an important role in Kentucky personal injury claims, but disappears faster than most people realize. At Whitfield Crosby & Flynn, our Madisonville personal injury lawyer can take the actions needed to preserve it and other evidence that supports your claim.
Don’t take chances when it comes to your recovery. Contact our office today to request a consultation. We provide trusted legal service to clients in Madisonville, Kentucky; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Marion, Illinois.
Sources:
apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=17782
kiprc.uky.edu/sites/default/files/2023-12/2022%20KY%20Injury%20Indicators%20Report_final.pdf
