Security cameras are standard equipment at most businesses. Any company that makes its facilities open to the public is potentially at risk of criminal activity and liability for visitor injuries. Security cameras help identify thieves and assailants after crimes occur. They can also capture unexpected incidents that occur on company property. If a customer trips over an exposed electrical cord or slips in a spill that workers didn’t clean, they could sustain significant injuries.
Slip-and-falls can cause broken bones, painful soft tissue injuries and even life-altering traumatic brain injuries. Those hurt due to unsafe property conditions may have grounds for a premises liability lawsuit. Security camera footage often plays an important role in compensation claims after slip-and-falls at businesses.
How can footage help?
Generally speaking, companies have security cameras near entrances. Cameras near high-traffic areas are also common, as they can capture criminal activity and unexpected accidents.
Businesses often work with professionals to design and lay out their security systems to optimize their protection from liability and minimize the risk of criminal activity. In cases where businesses fail to properly maintain security systems, that oversight could contribute to allegations of negligent business practices. The footage itself could show what happened before a slip-and-fall. It could preserve evidence of a person’s injuries and unsafe property conditions.
How can people access footage?
Obtaining security camera footage often requires the intervention of an attorney. A lawyer can send a spoliation letter informing the company of the need to preserve security camera footage. Most businesses only keep footage or data for between 30 and 90 days. Therefore, prompt action to obtain copies of and preserve the security camera footage is typically necessary. Police departments can obtain security camera footage and scenarios where law enforcement becomes involved in an investigation.
The footage captured by security cameras can help affirm claims that unsafe property conditions contributed to the incident and led to a person’s injuries. The footage can help plaintiffs fight allegations that they caused their own injuries or exaggerated the severity of the situation.
Discussing a recent slip-and-fall with an attorney can help injured people preserve critical evidence and hold companies accountable. Security camera footage can help people file insurance claims or even lawsuits seeking compensation for their losses when unsafe property conditions cause slip-and-fall incidents.