You’re probably wondering how video footage can help with your slip and fall case. The truth is it can be used as proof or evidence in building a strong case against the property owner, especially if it’s your word against theirs. Often, the defendant will avoid taking responsibility for the accident and even claim that you staged it or are trying to commit fraud. As a result, having evidence obtained from witnesses, security cameras or from the premises where the accident occurred can be of help in your claim for compensation in several ways.
Unfortunately, few businesses if not all will not likely give you the footage with open hands if it doesn’t benefit them. Additionally, it is a requirement to have a subpoena or a police order before turning over the evidence, which is why you need to hire an attorney to obtain the footage of your slip and fall case. That being the case, the question of how it can be of help with your lawsuit takes a backseat. Fortunately, there are several important ways video evidence can help with your slip and fall case.
Injuries Sustained
While there are no tools to measure the amount of pain and suffering you are going through after a slip and fall accident, video evidence can be used to support your claim in injuries sustained by showing the fall that led to body injuries such as brain damage. That being the case, this evidence can help in determining the amount of money you should be compensated, which should be equal to the monetary losses you incurred while seeking treatment.
Proof of Negligence
Evidence from the footage can be used to show the existence of hazardous conditions such as poor lighting, wet surfaces on the defendant’s property which led to your slip and fall accident. Additionally, the footage can determine how long the condition existed before being taken care of.
However, the owner might claim they did not have notice of the hazardous condition before you fell despite having evidence. The good news is you can also use witness testimony such as an employee or a customer, who was aware of how long the condition existed to prove the owner was aware of the condition.
Additionally, you could use other incident reports, which contain details of what happened, how it happened, and the individuals who may have witnessed the incident to prove the negligence of the property owner.
That being the case, the evidence can be used to claim compensation for medical expenses incurred, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity, which would have been avoidable if the property owner wasn’t negligent.
Final Verdict
Despite having a video as evidence in a slip and fall case, you should also seek alternative ways of evidence such as digital photographs and witnesses to prove your claim. Nevertheless, your attorney should be able to gather relevant evidence material on your behalf as it is the most effective way of proving fault in your lawsuit case.
