Traffic cameras are common on major roads around Texas. While they are often used by the authorities to provide emergency services and monitor traffic, footage might be obtained by insurance companies after accidents.
Your insurance company can obtain copies of traffic camera footage from your car accident. How they get it may vary. You can get the footage and provide it to the insurance company yourself, or they can conduct their own investigation. Your insurance company might want the footage to determine who is at fault if they feel a more in-depth investigation is necessary. When insurance companies investigate, they may pursue numerous avenues to collect information. While they might go after traffic camera footage, they can also contact witnesses and law enforcement officials connected with the accident for additional details. If there is no traffic camera footage, that does not mean that the insurance company will cease its investigation. In fact, it might only be just beginning, and you should contact an attorney quickly.
If you were in an accident, call our Arlington, TX car accident lawyers at The Queenan Law Firm, P.C. at (817) 476-1797 to arrange a free review of your case and discuss traffic camera footage.
Can My Insurance Company Get Traffic Cameras Videos for an Accident in Texas?
The authorities typically maintain traffic cameras. Not all traffic cameras are owned and operated by the same groups. Some belong to local law enforcement, while others belong to state law enforcement. Still, others might belong to transportation authorities. The purpose of these cameras varies by who owns them, but agencies are often willing to share footage with the public when necessary.
Just like you can contact the appropriate agency or entity and request copies of traffic camera footage, so can your insurance company. Depending on who owns the camera and maintains the footage, there might be different ways of obtaining it. Still, you should not be surprised if your insurance company manages to get copies.
The fact that your insurance company wants copies of traffic camera footage does not necessarily mean you are in trouble. You should not assume that your claims are weak and the insurance company is preparing to deny you. It is more likely that your case is a bit more complicated, and the insurance company wants as much information and evidence as possible before making any decisions regarding compensation. Even so, our Dallas car accident lawyers can help you protect your rights and support your claims in the face of an investigation from your insurance company.
Why Would My Insurance Company Want Footage From Traffic Cameras in Texas?
It might feel intimidating, knowing that your insurance company is trying to get copies of traffic camera footage of your car accident. Insurance companies are not exactly known for being warm and caring toward policyholders or those they owe money to. As such, you might assume they are building a case against you to deny your claim and pay you nothing. While we should not rule this possibility out, it is not the only possibility.
If your insurance company wants traffic camera footage, it might be because they were not provided enough evidence and information about your accident to determine if the policy terms cover it. This does not automatically mean that you will be denied or even that you are more likely to be denied by the insurance company.
Even so, you should contact an attorney for help. If the insurance company is building a case against you, your lawyer can help you assert your rights and make the insurance company comply with the policy terms.
What Happens When Insurance Companies Investigate Accidents in Texas?
While many drivers assume that insurance companies rely solely on evidence provided by drivers and the authorities, this is simply not true. Insurance companies may conduct their own investigations to gather more evidence and understand more about how the accident occurred.
Just like drivers who want traffic camera footage to prove their claims, the insurance company wants this footage so they can determine who caused the crash. Traffic cameras tend to be on major roads and highways, but they are rare on smaller backroads and practically non-existent on rural roads. If your accident happened in a place like this, the insurance company might still investigate and track down security camera footage from private homes and businesses.
The insurance company might look for more than video footage. They have also been known to reach out to witnesses. Insurance companies often get the names and contact information of witnesses from police reports or even from information provided by the drivers themselves. People are sometimes surprised to learn their family members have been contacted and asked about the accident.
If the insurance company is conducting an investigation, you might feel overwhelmed or like your privacy is being violated. While the investigation might be uncomfortable, it can help your case. Perhaps you cannot come up with enough evidence to prove the other driver is at fault. This is not uncommon, as evidence is fickle and unpredictable. The insurance company’s investigation might turn up the evidence you need to prove fault and get fair compensation. Even so, talk to a lawyer if your accident is under investigation.
What if the Insurance Company Tries to Use Traffic Camera Footage to Deny My Accident Claims in Texas?
Investigations by insurance companies do not always go your way, even when you are not at fault for the collision. Insurance companies are notorious for weasling out of paying injured people, even when those people are covered by policies. If your claim is denied, or you believe a denial is on the horizon, contact our attorneys for help immediately.
If you have not seen the traffic camera footage obtained by the insurance company, we should work on getting our own copy immediately. If they are going to deny your claim, we need to figure out why. In many cases, the video footage is unclear or inconclusive. We can help you gather evidence to counter the insurance company’s claims and make them pay for your damages.
Speak to Our Texas Car Accident Lawyers About Your Insurance Company
If you were in an accident, call our Houston car accident lawyers at The Queenan Law Firm, P.C. at (817) 476-1797 to arrange a free review of your case and discuss traffic camera footage.