A Video Is Worth a Million Words

A picture is worth a thousand words. If this old adage is true, then a video is worth a thousand times more.

Video footage can be accessed from a variety of different sources and shed light on the true circumstances of an accident. Footage can be obtained from a dash-cam in vehicles or from area businesses. Even red light cameras can catch helpful footage.

Our firm has handled a number of cases that have benefited from video footage.

Case #1

My client was a passenger in an automobile accident that occurred when, at an intersection, a small truck hit the SUV that he was in, and flipped it over. As a result, my client sustained significant life-changing injuries. Shortly after the accident, we learned that a gas station at the intersection had surveillance cameras. Thankfully, the owner of the station had cameras that captured video of the accident occurring. The accident was very clearly visible and the footage lasted 5 seconds, which was all it took to show the severity of the impact, the flip, and the rush to help the injured parties.

That particular DVR had an input for a USB drive, allowing us to download and distribute the evidence to the claims representatives and insurance companies involved. A settlement occurred early on because the video provided indisputable facts, thereby avoiding the need for lengthy litigation.

Without video footage, cases like this could go on for years, with depositions and other discovery, because teasing out the truth can be challenging. Video footage makes all the difference.

Case #2

In this case, my client, a pedestrian, was injured when a car ran over her foot. We sent an investigator to obtain footage from nearby stores. Unfortunately, the video only showed the after-effects of the accident and people leaving the scene; the accident itself was not included in the footage. However, by identifying some of the witnesses on the recording, we were able to bolster my client’s case. The important point here is that investigators can be useful in canvasing the scene to see where cameras are and what information can be obtained.

Case # 3

In this third example, my client was rear-ended on a busy street in Queens. A surveillance camera at an adjacent business caught the incident on video. My client is shown completely stopped, and then the delivery van that he was standing in was suddenly pushed a significant distance by the truck that hit him from behind.

Generally with an accident of this nature, there is little dispute about the fault of the driver who was responsible for the rear-end, however, video surveillance helped to prove the severity of the impact and therefore linked the back injuries to the accident. Without this evidence, the defendant would have argued that our client’s back injuries were age-related and not due to the accident. After seeing the significant impact, anyone watching the video would believe that the occupant had to have been seriously injured.

There is no doubt that the revolution in camera technology has made collecting evidence easier. In my next post, I will discuss two additional kinds of surveillance that can be difficult: dash-cams and red light cameras.

To learn how we can assist you by obtaining video of your accident, contact Leonick Law.

James F. Leonick
Leonick Law, P.L.L.C.
TEL: (631) 486-9500
Email: info@LeonickLaw.com