When you’re injured in a collision, your entire world flips instantly. Your car is wrecked, you’re hurting, you’re overwhelmed and while you’re trying to get medical care, insurance companies are already analyzing your case, looking for ways to shift blame and minimize your claim.
And here’s what most people don’t realize:
Your case can be won or lost in the first few hours after a collision.
Not because of what you remember, but because of the evidence that gets saved (or lost) forever.
At Hasty Pope Injury Law, one of the very first things we talk about with a new client is evidence preservation, especially video, photographs, digital data, and surveillance footage. These sources don’t lie, they don’t forget, and they don’t misinterpret. They show the truth, frame by frame.
That truth can be the difference between being blamed… and being fully compensated.
Why Digital Evidence Is the Most Powerful Proof in Your Case
We live in a world where everything is recorded. Traffic cameras. Business surveillance systems. Dash cams. Doorbell cameras. Intersection cameras. Vehicle computer data. Cell phone metadata.
In a collision case, these sources often deliver airtight proof of:
- Who had the right of way
- Who ran a red light or stop sign
- Speed and braking behavior before impact
- Whether a driver was distracted
- Whether a witness report is accurate
- How the impact actually occurred
But here’s the catch:
This evidence disappears fast. Sometimes within days.
Many systems only store video for 24–72 hours before automatically overwriting it.
That means that even a small delay can cause critical evidence to vanish forever.
This is why immediate legal action matters. When you hire Hasty Pope, our attorneys know exactly what to ask for, who to contact, and how to demand that digital evidence is preserved before it’s erased.
Real Case Example:
A Traffic Ticket Said “At Fault.”
The Video Told a Very Different Story.**
One of the most powerful reminders of the importance of video evidence came from a recent client.
He was in a collision and was immediately blamed at the scene.
He was cited by the officer a traffic ticket that suggested he caused the crash.
Most people would have accepted that as the end of the story.
But his spouse returned to the scene, looked around, and said:
“Officer, there’s a traffic camera. Can we get the footage?”
The officer replied:
“Oh, that camera doesn’t work.”
But our team didn’t stop there.
We filed the required notice, contacted the agency controlling that camera, and demanded the preservation of the footage.
We got it.
And what did the video show?
- Our client did not cause the crash.
- The other driver ran a red light.
- The entire story the officer believed was completely reversed.
Digital evidence didn’t just help the case it proved our client’s innocence.
This outcome would have been impossible without an attorney who knew the right questions, the right deadlines, and the right legal channels to obtain that footage.
What Types of Evidence We Immediately Work to Preserve
When you call Hasty Pope Injury Law after a collision, our team immediately begins identifying and securing every available source of evidence, including:
1. Traffic & Intersection Cameras
City- or county-owned cameras frequently capture collisions, but footage routinely overwrites within days unless preserved.
2. Business Surveillance Footage
Gas stations, restaurants, shopping centers, warehouses, business cameras often capture exactly what happened.
3. Dash Cams (Yours or Others')
We track down nearby drivers, delivery vehicles, and service trucks that may have recorded the impact.
4. Vehicle Event Data Recorders (Black Box Data)
Modern vehicles retain powerful crash data:
- speed
- braking
- impact force
- throttle position
- seatbelt status
5. Cell Phone Location & Usage Data
In cases involving distracted driving, this evidence can be critical.
6. 911 Audio & Dispatch Logs
These reveal real-time witness statements and officer assessments.
7. Photos or Videos Taken by Witnesses
People often record more than they realize and we know how to find those people.
8. Social Media Footage
Nearby individuals may post videos unknowingly capturing key moments.
Why You Should Never Rely on the Officer's Assessment Alone
Police officers do difficult jobs under pressure and time constraints.
But they do not always have:
- the full picture
- access to all video systems
- the ability to verify digital data on scene
- the training to analyze vehicle computer files
We’ve handled countless cases where:
- The officer assigned fault incorrectly.
- A witness statement turned out wrong.
- A camera the officer believed “wasn’t working” actually was.
- A business owner didn’t realize their camera captured the crash.
Digital evidence cuts through all assumptions.
It provides a clear, impartial truth.
What to Do Immediately After a Collision (Even Before Calling Insurance)
Here are the steps every injured person should follow but most don’t know:
1. Call an attorney before evidence disappears.
The sooner we act, the more we can preserve.
2. Take photos and videos at the scene if you can.
Capture:
- skid marks
- road signs
- damage
- traffic signals
- the position of the vehicles
3. Identify nearby cameras.
Look for:
- traffic cameras
- doorbell cameras
- business cameras
- dashboard cameras
4. Never trust that someone else will save video.
Businesses routinely overwrite footage to save storage space.
5. Avoid giving recorded statements to insurance companies.
Let the evidence speak for you don’t risk misspeaking under stress.
How Hasty Pope Protects Evidence and Your Case
When you hire our firm, here’s what happens behind the scenes:
- We send legal preservation letters immediately.
- We contact local authorities, businesses, and third parties to secure footage.
- We subpoena video and digital records when necessary.
- We work with experts to interpret vehicle data and reconstruct the collision.
- We challenge incorrect police reports with hard evidence.
- We build a case around the truth not assumptions.
Our attorneys have decades of experience handling complex evidence issues, and we know how to move fast before anything is lost.
Because once digital evidence is gone…
it’s gone forever.
Final Thought: The Truth Matters And We Know How to Prove It
If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision, the single most important step you can take is contacting an attorney who understands the urgency and complexity of digital evidence.
At Hasty Pope Injury Law, we’ve built cases and changed lives because we knew where to look and how to preserve the truth.
You deserve a law firm that takes your case seriously from the very first minute.
If you need us, we’re here. And we’ll find the evidence that tells your story.