Video evidence can help you prove your car accident was the result of another driver’s negligence.
In a typical St. Louis car accident case, you need as much evidence as possible to back up your claim. One type of evidence that can be quite beneficial in these types of incidents is videos. If you have video evidence of the crash that took place, and it shows the other driver made a mistake, you will very likely have a positive outcome. However, there are several different types of video evidence that can possibly be used. Here are the most common.
1. Video of the Accident
It’s possible to have video evidence of the accident, thanks to CCTV footage or surveillance cameras from nearby stores. If this is the case, then your St. Louis auto accident lawyer will likely have to subpoena the video and add it into evidence.
2. Deposition Videos
Depositions are essentially testimonies that you, the other party, and witnesses of the event give. It can also contain testimony of expert witnesses. In most cases, the depositions are just transcribed into written formats, but it may be beneficial to video record these testimonies.
3. Reconstruction Videos
Particularly if the case is rather complicated, your lawyer may think it wise to create a visual reconstruction of the events based on an expert’s analysis of the evidence. That can help juries visualize the chain of events.
4. Follow-up Videos
If you are asking for compensation for your car accident, it may also be useful to have a video where you show the impact the collision had on you and your quality of life. It most likely will follow your daily life to show how the injuries or pain are affecting your life.
Not All Videos Are Admissible
Just having video evidence is no guarantee you can use it in legal proceedings, whether it’s a trial or meetings with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Any videos of the accident must be first authenticated to make sure they are not altered in any party’s favor.
The contents of other types of videos will also be analyzed to see if it is relevant to the case or the argument the lawyer is trying to make. Moreover, videos obtained illegally are automatically excluded from evidence and cannot be used, no matter how compelling they are.
Because of this, you should discuss your case with a St. Louis car accident attorney before trying to obtain any video evidence yourself. Otherwise, you risk having it dismissed by the other side because you did not follow proper procedure.
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