Video evidence can help communicate vital facts about your accident and damages.
In order to secure compensation for a personal injury or wrongful death, you must be able to prove that another party caused your accident through recklessness or negligence, and that you suffered injuries as a result of the accident.
A variety of types of evidence may be used to establish what happened during your accident and the ways you have suffered as a result. In some cases, this evidence may take the form of videos. Here are 5 possible types of video evidence that may prove useful in a personal injury case.
Video of the Accident
If there happens to be video footage of the accident taking place, this will be extremely helpful in establishing liability. For example, an attorney might be able to secure store surveillance footage of a slip and fall accident or dashcam footage of a traffic accident.
Accident Reconstruction Video
If there is no video of the accident in progress, it can be very helpful to use other available evidence, such as photos and expert witness testimony, to create a digitally animated video presentation that shows how the accident took place. This visual aid will make it much easier for jurors to understand how traumatic the accident was and how recklessness or negligence played a role.
Deposition Videos
When preparing for a personal injury lawsuit, the injured victim and any witnesses must give depositions so that their testimony can be transcribed and made available for the defense to review. It may be beneficial to create a video deposition so that instead of hearing quotes read from a transcript, jurors can view clips showing the body language and tone of voice used when answering questions about the accident.
“Day in the Life” Video
Sometimes, a long list of injuries and symptoms is not enough to really communicate the nature and extent of the victim’s suffering. A “day in the life” video can give jurors a window into the challenges and limitations with ordinary tasks that the victim faces on a daily basis due to their injuries.
“In Memoriam” Video
In the case of a wrongful death case, an “in memoriam” video can be presented as a way of showing the jurors the many ways in which the victim’s loss is felt by their loved ones.
Are All Videos Admissible in Court?
No. In order to be admissible, video evidence must be authentic, relevant to understanding an issue, and not hearsay. Additionally, evidence may not be so emotionally charged as to hinder the truth.
Even if a given piece of video evidence ends up being inadmissible, it may still be worthwhile to create the video, as it may help convince insurance representatives to offer a favorable settlement before trial.
Do You Need Help with a Personal Injury Case?
Fernando D. Vargas is here to provide expert assistance with every step of your personal injury case, from gathering evidence to creating presentations such as accident reconstructions to negotiating a fair settlement or even representing you in court if necessary. To talk to Attorney Vargas about your case, please call 909-982-0707 and request a free initial consultation.
