When a Columbus traffic crash occurs, it can sometimes be challenging to determine how the accident happened and who is to blame. If there are no witnesses, it can come down to one driver's word against the others. Unfortunately, sometimes motorists involved in accidents are not honest about what occurred and the situation can get complicated.
Accident lawyers in Columbus, OH can help those who have been involved in motor vehicle collisions to obtain evidence to prove their claims. An accident reconstruction specialist or other expert can sometimes be consulted. In other cases, it may be possible to obtain video evidence from surveillance cameras on nearby buildings or from red light cameras. This video evidence can prove invaluable to victims of collisions who need help proving their accident case.
Video Surveillance Camera Makes Accident Cause Clear
The Washington Post recently reported on how a surveillance camera helped one accident victim to dispel lies about how her crash occurred.
The accident involved a 25-year-old driver who was hit by a county sheriff's deputy who ran a stop sign. The girl whose vehicle was struck broke her neck in four places and her medical treatment expenditures topped $1 million.
The deputy who struck her vehicle did not admit that he was responsible for the accident. Instead, he attempted to engage in a large-scale cover-up. The victim of the crash was arrested for drunk driving based on statements from other law enforcement officers about alcohol on her breath and based on statements that she had a few sips of a friend's drink at dinner. Her condition had prevented a breathalyzer being conducted at the accident scene.
The deputy filed a police report alleging that the collision victim was drunk and that her headlights were off. He said in the report that he had stopped at the stop sign as required, and that the other motorist was responsible for the crash.
However, the statements in the report began to unravel as more facts came out. The victim's vehicle, for example, had automatic headlights. The toxicology report also showed that she was sober at the time of the collision.
Ultimately, it was a video of the accident from a nearby surveillance camera that conclusively showed what happened in the seconds leading up to the collision. The sheriff's department had this video two days after the collision occurred but did not stop the prosecutor from moving forward with drunk driving charges against the crash victim.
The video eventually forced the truth to come out, and it could be used as invaluable evidence by the crash victim in holding the county responsible for her motor vehicle collision losses. Because the department refused to accept responsibility, the injured woman will need to file a personal injury claim to recover compensation for her damages. The video can help show the true version of events.
Contact our Columbus, OH accident lawyers today. Call 1-800-930-SCOTT for a free case consultation.
