Midtown Atlanta is a busy and thriving area. From the big box store area off Monroe Drive NE, to the Midtown Garden District, thousands of cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles navigate their way through the various streets and highways leading to all different corners of the city. If you suffer a crash in a Midtown Atlanta intersection, such as that at 10th Street NE and Juniper Street NE, you may wonder how you can get your hands on traffic camera footage.
The Importance of Traffic Camera Footage in Car Accident Claims
While traffic deaths have been down 9% in Georgia over recent years, accidents still happen every day. In fact, Georgia has an accident mortality rate of 56.6 deaths from accidents per 100,000 members of the population. Some of the most dangerous intersections in Midtown, where accidents happen on a frequent basis, include:
- Northside Drive and 14th Street
- Spring Street and 5th Street
- Ponce De Leon Avenue and Juniper Street
- Peachtree Street and Piedmont Road
- 10th Street and Monroe Drive
If you are injured in an intersection accident in Midtown, you are likely owed compensation, and traffic camera footage can help prove your case. It can also:
- Demonstrate the severity of injuries: A camera can record how intense a collision has taken place, demonstrating why your injuries might be so severe or even life-threatening. This can help strengthen your claim for compensation against the at-fault party’s insurance provider.
- Identify witnesses: Camera footage may be able to reveal possible witnesses who can offer eyewitness accounts to help support your claim.
- Verify your claim: Traffic collisions almost always have conflicting stories. Camera footage can offer an unbiased glimpse into the truth, making it more difficult for an insurance company to lowball you or undervalue your claim.
Sources of Camera Footage Available to Claimants
Atlanta has a large network of traffic cameras in operation. However, it can be nearly impossible to obtain this footage. The Georgia Department of Transportation makes it clear that they do not provide individuals with accident footage, as they do not tend to keep and store gathered footage. Thankfully, there are other sources of camera footage that you may be able to obtain quickly.
It is important that you act fast, as footage is often erased after 24-72 hours. Some of the possible sources of camera footage for an intersection crash in Midtown include:
- Dashcams
- Cell phones
- Security cameras
- Patrol car footage
It is crucial that, as soon as you can, you hire a lawyer who can begin gathering these sources of footage. Your attorney can file subpoenas for footage when necessary, navigate any bureaucratic issues that may arise from a formal legal request, and make sure all deadlines are met so evidence can be preserved. At Hall & Lampros, LLP, we have successfully obtained camera footage for car accident clients in the past, and now we are ready to do the same for you.
About Hall & Lampros, LLP
With over 60 years of combined experience, the attorneys at Hall & Lampros, LLP, are proud to serve Atlanta residents in a wide range of personal injury cases. Over our many years of service, we have won over $500 million in compensation for our clients and are now ready to offer you the same level of excellence. In 2020, we were named top attorneys by Atlanta Magazine and are proud members of the Atlanta Bar Foundation and the State Bar of Georgia.
Fluent in both English and Spanish, members of our team are proud to serve individuals from all backgrounds, no matter the nature of their personal injury claim.
FAQs
What Other Forms of Evidence Can Be Used to Prove a Car Accident Claim in GA?
In addition to camera footage, there are several other forms of evidence that can be used to help prove a car accident claim in Georgia. These forms of evidence include photographs or videos of the accident scene, police reports, medical records, testimony made by eyewitnesses, driver records, and accident reconstruction reports.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Georgia Car Accident Claims?
In Georgia, you have two years from the time of your accident to file a personal injury claim. If you do not file your claim by this date, you generally lose your chance at recovering any form of compensation. This is one of the many reasons why it is so crucial you hire a personal injury lawyer as soon as you can following a car accident.
What Is the Georgia Open Records Act?
Under the Georgia Open Records Act, while you may not have access to camera footage from highway or intersection traffic cams, there are other resources that can help you build a personal injury claim against the at-fault party. Under Georgia law, the Georgia Department of Public Safety allows any individual to submit an open records request and pay a small fee to search for records like crash reports, dashcam videos, and citations.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
In Atlanta, the costs involved in hiring a car accident lawyer are generally dependent on the details of your case and the skill level or experience of your attorney. If your case is extremely complicated and takes a long time to process toward a resolution, your attorney fees are likely to be higher. At Hall & Lampros, LLP, we offer free case consultations to help ease some of the financial burden when it comes to hiring an attorney.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident in Atlanta’s Midtown, you need to hire a car accident lawyer as soon as possible. At Hall & Lampros, LLP, we are here to review your case and help collect all necessary evidence to prove your claim. Any camera footage that shows the accident can prove to be a game-changer, but only when it is obtained in time. Contact our offices today to learn more and to schedule a free case consultation.
ES