Left Turn Accident in Springfield Caught on Surveillance Video

In order to be successful in an auto accident case, the victim must prove that another party caused the crash. To do that, the plaintiff (and the plaintiff's attorney) often have to acquire police reports, obtain witness statements, and gather evidence from the scene in order to bolster their case. But every now and then, plaintiffs get lucky - when the wreck is caught on surveillance video.

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Such was the case last week in Springfield in a left turn accident which sent two people to the hospital. On Friday about 4pm, a 21-year old man was driving westbound on South Grand Avenue East about halfway between Albany Street and North 19th Street. He attempted to turn left onto North Wheeler Avenue, but the passenger side of his car was hit by another car heading eastbound on South Grand. The 46-year old female driver and an 18-year old female passenger in the eastbound car had to be transported to a nearby hospital.

The entire wreck was captured on surveillance video from a camera at a nearby business. From the footage, police were able to determine that the 21-year old man did not yield the right of way to the other vehicle before he made his turn - and he was issued a traffic ticket after the wreck. Assuming there are no other significant factors, the video footage by itself might be enough evidence for an attorney to prove liability in any personal injury lawsuit that may be filed by either of the injured women. As a result, the two victims could receive reimbursement for medical expenses, compensation for missed time at work, and possibly other types of damages. It can be difficult to determine liability in a left turn accident, but the left turning car is almost always at fault.

Some people frequently voice "Big Brother"-type concerns about the omnipresence of video cameras in Illinois and across the country - often with good reason. But sometimes, the presence of these cameras can assist auto accident victims with obtaining the compensation that they are entitled to.