The Role of Surveillance Footage in Negligent Security Cases

Surveillance footage is an incredibly important piece of evidence in many types of personal injury claims, from falls and car accidents to negligent security claims. Whether an injury occurs in a commercial building or out in public, surveillance footage can help injured victims fight for justice and seek the compensation they deserve.

If you’ve been injured as a result of negligent security, you may be owed compensation from multiple parties. Let’s find out—call Hodges Trial Lawyers at 256-826-4129 to schedule a consultation with our team right away.

 

Importance of Establishing Liability

After a fight has left you injured and facing significant medical bills, it can be difficult to know where to turn and what your next step is. In a personal injury claim, establishing liability is essential.

By proving who caused your injuries and acted in a negligent manner, you can demand full and fair compensation from them. A significant part of proving liability is showing the other party’s failure to uphold their duty of care. In negligent security claims, property owners and security professionals are expected to take reasonable steps to keep visitors and guests safe from harm. This is where surveillance footage comes in to strengthen your case.

 

Surveillance Footage as Evidence

Surveillance footage is a neutral form of evidence; it does not favor either side or have any bias. It simply shows what was captured at the time of the incident. That’s what makes it such a valuable type of evidence—the other side can’t say that it is biased to you or lacking context without sounding like they are grasping for straws.

Witness testimony, testimony from involved parties, and even medical records can have errors. Eyewitnesses often have a biased view and their memories tend to change over time as they learn more about a case and what actually happened. But surveillance footage can cut through all of this. It can corroborate eyewitness testimony, uncover lies in testimony, and show the exact sequence of events that led to you getting injured.

 

How to Utilize Surveillance Footage in Your Case

First, know that you must act quickly to preserve surveillance footage for your negligent security case. If security staff failed to step in, turned a blind eye to your injuries, or even encouraged the fight, they know that they could face legal trouble. The same is true for the property or business owner. It’s not uncommon for unfavorable surveillance footage to go mysteriously missing or be lost due to “equipment malfunctions.”

By talking to a Huntsville, AL premises liability attorney, you can be proactive and demand that the other side preserve surveillance footage and all other relevant evidence. Failure to do so could harm them in court.

Once your attorney has secured the footage, they can use it in a variety of ways. They may break down what happened, turn to expert witnesses who can provide additional insight, and use the footage to create diagrams, timelines, or technologically enhanced images.

 

The Limitations of Surveillance Footage

Although surveillance footage is undoubtedly a useful tool in this type of legal claim, it is not infallible. There are issues that may arise. First, all security cameras are not created equal. There are major differences in the quality of footage, length of footage preservation, and storage options. Furthermore, the way that a surveillance camera is set up may lend subsequent footage to poor lighting or framing. While some cameras are always on, others only turn on when they detect motion. Those who only turn on when they detect motion could miss key details of what led up to the fight, leaving you without crucial context.

Finally, surveillance technology can fail. If it is not connected to the Internet, dumps footage at the end of each night, or simply fails to capture your incident clearly enough, it may be useful for your case.

 

Injured in a Bar Fight? Call Hodges Trial Lawyers Now

Surveillance footage may play a key role in your premises liability claim, but much depends on how quickly you seek legal help in Huntsville, AL. Let’s talk about your options and next steps. Call Hodges Trial Lawyers at 256-826-4129 or get in touch online to schedule a consultation right away.