Cameras Never Blink. That’s a Good Thing for Personal Injury Cases

All personal injury cases are based on facts. The simpler the facts, the better for the plaintiff (the injured party filing the lawsuit). It was said long ago that a photo is worth a thousand words. When a photo or a video provides strong evidence in a case, we let them do the talking.

Satterley & Kelley, PLLC represents people severely injured in accidents and the families of those killed in them. We have over 30 years of experience helping clients seek compensation they deserve. If you’re injured in an accident or a loved one was killed in one, learn about your legal rights in a free consultation you can schedule by calling us at 855-385-9532.

A case starts with a client’s version of events. If we’re retained to represent an accident victim, an investigation is the next step. We look for and sometimes find videos of accidents from one type of camera or another. They can be critical in helping us piece together what happened, how, why, and who is responsible. Since cameras don’t have an “axe to grind,” they are rightly viewed as unbiased and credible sources of evidence.

Slips and Falls

Depending on your location, cameras may surround you. If you’re in any commercial establishment where the public is welcome, a smart business owner will have every inch of the area surveilled. They should probably have areas where only employees are allowed, covered too, in case an accident or crime occurs.

If you’re injured while at a business, you probably slipped and or fell, or someone (an employee or another customer) bumped into you accidentally or intentionally hurt you. If there’s video of the incident, this is no longer a “he said–she said” situation where the circumstances are contested. Ideally, it’ll all be there on the video.

Parking Lots

A smart parking lot owner will have security cameras and post signs warning of them to scare away criminals looking for cars to break into. Whether you slip and fall in the parking lot, are involved in a vehicle accident there, or on an adjacent street, video of what happened could be a big help to your case.

Vehicle Accidents at Intersections

Intersections are dangerous places, and some are worse than others. Most of the bad driver behavior that can occur will happen if the intersection is large and busy enough.

• Intoxicated drivers won’t control their vehicles
• Speeders will run red lights or stop signs and collide into another vehicle
• Distracted drivers will side-swipe or rear-end someone
• Pedestrians and cyclists will be ignored and struck by a driver who won’t give them the right of way

Busy intersections commonly have surveillance cameras. They may also be part of automated systems that result in drivers being mailed tickets for violating red lights. If there’s more than one camera, they may capture what led up to an accident from multiple angles.

Vehicles and Motorcycles

Some vehicle owners and motorcyclists have installed cameras to capture what’s happening in front of them. Automated and assisted driving systems rely on cameras, lidar (a device using lasers to measure distances), or both. Some vehicles, and more in the future, have complete video coverage all around them. Increasingly, at least one vehicle involved in an accident will have recorded video of the accident.

Privately and Publicly Owned Cameras

Thanks to smaller and cheaper cameras, more private homes have surveillance cameras. If an accident happens on a residential street, there’s a chance a “doorbell” camera may have recorded it. Publicly owned cameras can be found in many places, including highways and public buildings.

Videos Aren’t Always Helpful

Cameras aren’t everywhere yet, and sometimes the video only shows part of what happened. If a video we find contradicts what a client claims and reveals that the case isn’t what we expected, we won’t go along with a false claim and risk our hard-earned reputation as honest and ethical attorneys.

Speak To a Louisville Accident Attorney Near You

No matter how you are injured, as long as another party is at least partially to blame, you may have a right to compensation for what you’ve been through. Satterley & Kelley, PLLC lawyers have decades of experience helping families after accidents disrupt their lives.

To schedule a free initial consultation, call us at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or contact us online.