Using Security Camera Footage in Personal Injury Cases
Yes. Security camera footage can be used in a personal injury case. It is among the strongest pieces of evidence in an injury case, especially in Tampa, FL, where cameras are prevalent in apartment complexes, retail stores, downtown garages, and on busy roads. A video recording doesn’t forget, exaggerate, or take sides. It shows what really happened. The challenge is securing it before it disappears. That’s where a lawyer’s help becomes essential.
Our personal injury team at Matthews Injury Law can help secure camera footage before it’s erased, protect it from being manipulated, and use it to strengthen your claim for maximum compensation.
Why Security Camera Footage is Crucial to Your Personal Injury Claim and Where to Find It
Injury cases often hinge on credibility. A store manager may insist the floor was dry, or a driver may swear the light was green. Video evidence cuts through these conflicting statements and reveals the exact moment of the fall, crash, or assault. They also show conditions leading up to the accident, such as a wet entryway, poor lighting, or running a red light. Additionally, they can show the immediate aftermath, including visible injuries and the speed at which help arrived.
In Florida, where juries often decide civil claims, a clear recording can help push a case toward settlement rather than trial. Some of the most common spots where security footage helps in personal injury claims include:
- Downtown parking garages where falls on slick concrete ramps are standard.
- Ybor City clubs and bars, where security cameras may capture assaults or overserved patrons causing harm.
- Retail stores along Kennedy Boulevard or Dale Mabry Highway are where slip-and-fall accidents commonly occur near entryways.
- Apartment complexes in West Tampa and Seminole Heights, where poor lighting and broken gates may contribute to assaults or falls.
If your accident occurred in these areas (or elsewhere), there is a good chance a security camera was rolling. The key is making sure the footage doesn’t disappear.
How We Use Footage to Strengthen Your Claim
Capturing footage is only the first step. As an injured person, you face two uphill battles at once: recovering from your injuries and fighting insurance companies that will look for any reason to deny responsibility. Property owners and insurers may drag their feet until the evidence is gone. Businesses may stall, claim the footage doesn’t exist, or let it get erased.
A skilled personal injury lawyer can request and preserve footage before it’s erased, authenticate recordings so insurers can’t claim they were altered, and work with experts to analyze footage frame by frame. Likewise, they can pair video footage with medical records, police reports, or witness statements and highlight key details.
These details can include the absence of a warning sign, a vehicle’s speed, or the length of time a hazard was ignored. When combined, those key details build a strong narrative of negligence that is difficult to dispute. In addition, our personal injury attorney can take legal action if a business refuses to share recordings and push insurers to settle fairly when they know clear video undercuts their defense.
Seek Legal Counsel from Experienced Injury Attorneys
If you were hurt and believe a security camera caught what happened, talk to our Tampa, FL, personal injury lawyers right away. Video systems overwrite quickly, and once the evidence is gone, it cannot be recreated. Call Matthews Injury Law at 813-530-1000 or complete our online form to schedule your complimentary case review.