Hopkins is a small census-designated area in South Carolina with a population of just over 2,000. Despite being of small size, Hopkins still sees its fair share of auto accidents, meaning victims often need to recover compensation. Getting video footage showing a crash can help victims achieve this goal.
If you can obtain footage of a car accident in Hopkins, it will likely be from nearby security cameras or eyewitnesses. You will not be able to get footage from certain traffic cameras, as South Carolina does not permit red-light or speed cameras. If you have a dashboard camera in your car, the device likely filmed your accident. If not, you can always use your smartphone to take videos or photos of the accident’s aftermath. Suppose you cannot get video footage of your accident. In that case, our attorneys will use a combination of other evidence, such as medical records, eyewitness statements, expert statements, and physical evidence from the scene, to prove the negligent driver’s fault for your injuries in Hopkins.
You can call the Hopkins, SC car accident attorneys of Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers at (803) 451-4000 to set up a confidential and free case analysis.
Can You Get Video Footage of Your Car Accident in Hopkins, SC?
Just because Hopkins has a small population does not mean car accidents don’t happen there. That said, because Hopkins is quieter and more rural than other areas, there might be a lower chance that victims can get video footage of their auto accidents.
Footage from Surveillance Cameras
Hopkins does not have as many businesses and homes as larger towns or cities, meaning there is less chance that a nearby surveillance camera filmed your accident. That said, Hopkins is very close to Columbia, a populous city with a bustling downtown area. If there are security cameras near your accident location, our Hopkins, SC car accident attorneys can speak to the owners and request access to the footage. If necessary, we can also subpoena footage of the accident in question.
Footage from Traffic Cameras
For the most part, certain automated enforcement traffic cameras, such as red-light and speed cameras, are not permitted in South Carolina. This means that you cannot get footage or images of your accident from such cameras in Hopkins. While that might be discouraging at first, in reality, such cameras rarely take useful images of collisions. That is because red-light and speed cameras only take pictures when triggered. This means the driver would have had to run a stoplight or speed past a speed camera at just the right moment for the device to capture a photo of the crash. Furthermore, these traffic cameras take pictures, not videos, meaning they might be of little use to you even if they were accessible in Hopkins.
Footage from Witnesses
It is common for witnesses to use their smartphones to film or photograph car accidents. To see if eyewitnesses took any videos that might benefit your claim, speak to them after the accident. If you are too severely injured to have a conversation with eyewitnesses, we can obtain videos taken by eyewitnesses during our interviews with them. This might allow us to learn whether or not other drivers might have dashboard cameras that filmed the accident. Even if eyewitnesses did not take videos of your collision, their statements regarding the crash and the defendant’s negligence might be just as vital to the success of your claim.
Can Victims Record Video Footage of Their Car Accidents in Hopkins, SC?
Because there is no promise that victims will get video footage from any other source, they can take matters into their own hands by filming the aftermath of an accident in Hopkins.
One of the best and easiest things victims can do after collisions is to take out their smartphones and start filming. You can take videos of any visible injuries you sustained. You can also film the whole accident scene, including property damage to your car. Taking photos is also wise.
Unfortunately, car accidents are often severe, and victims might be too injured to take on the role of videographer. In such circumstances, victims can often ask eyewitnesses or law enforcement officers to take videos and pictures for them. Do not be shy about asking for help with this, as photographic and video evidence can make all the difference in your claim.
If you have a dashboard camera in your car, it is possible that the device filmed your accident. Our attorneys can review the footage from your dashboard cameras to determine whether or not that is the case.
What to Do if You Can’t Get Video Footage of Your Car Accident in Hopkins, SC
Suppose video of a crash is unavailable, as it so often is. In that case, our attorneys can use their resources and experience to unearth additional evidence of fault that is just as compelling as the footage might be.
Such evidence might include statements from eyewitnesses, as previously mentioned. Other witnesses, like experts, can also provide useful testimony that aids in victims’ recoveries.
Furthermore, presenting medical records as evidence will be necessary, regardless of the existence of video footage, as you will also have to show that you sustained injuries because of the accident in question, which medical records can help you achieve. Other evidence, like physical evidence from the scene, can also be used to prove fault in your compensation claim.
When video footage is not available, that does not mean you’ve lost your case. Car accidents often leave behind various types of evidence that can be used to prove a defendant’s negligence in Hopkins.
Call Our Lawyers About Your Car Accident in Hopkins, SC
Call our Hopkins, SC personal injury attorneys at (803) 451-4000 to have the team at Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers review your case for free.
