Security Camera Footage in Grocery Store Accident Claims
When someone is injured in a grocery store accident, proving liability can be challenging, especially when it comes down to showing negligence by the store. Mainor Ellis understands that security footage often plays a crucial role in these cases, providing vital evidence to support claims and ensure fair compensation. In Las Vegas, where premises liability laws protect consumers’ rights, security footage can be the key to a successful grocery store accident claim.
Why Security Footage Is Important
Security cameras are nearly ubiquitous in grocery stores, and for a good reason—they help prevent theft and monitor store conditions. But for customers, security footage can serve an additional purpose: documenting accidents and hazardous conditions that may have led to injury. Security footage can provide an objective, time-stamped account of the incident and surrounding events, which is particularly helpful in proving how an accident happened and establishing the grocery store’s liability.
For instance, in slip-and-fall cases, security footage may reveal whether there was a hazardous condition—like a spill—that went unaddressed for an unreasonable amount of time. Similarly, it may capture actions that demonstrate a lack of reasonable safety measures, such as an employee ignoring a puddle in an aisle. In other cases, security footage can confirm that no signage was posted to warn customers of wet or slippery floors, or that store employees failed to take necessary actions to keep areas safe.
How Security Footage Can Help Your Claim
- Documenting Hazardous Conditions: One of the primary uses of security footage in grocery store accidents is documenting unsafe conditions. For example, a video showing that a spill was on the floor for hours without being cleaned up can be powerful evidence of negligence. Nevada’s premises liability laws require grocery stores to maintain reasonably safe environments for customers, and failure to address obvious hazards may show negligence.
- Proving Timeline and Duration: Security footage can also establish how long a hazard existed before the accident occurred. If a hazard, like a wet floor or fallen merchandise, had been present for an extended period, it suggests that employees should have noticed and remedied the issue. This duration can help establish that the grocery store failed in its duty to keep the premises safe.
- Clarifying Events Surrounding the Accident: Footage often captures events leading up to the accident and the actions of the victim and others in the area. This can provide context, showing that the victim was acting reasonably and that the store did not take steps to prevent the accident.
- Identifying Witnesses and Staff Actions: Footage may also reveal other people in the area at the time of the accident, such as potential witnesses or staff members. Witnesses captured on video can support your claim, while staff actions (or lack thereof) can provide further evidence of negligence.
Steps to Take to Preserve Security Footage
If you’ve been injured in a grocery store accident, it’s essential to act quickly to preserve any relevant security footage. Many stores delete or overwrite video after a certain period, often within days or weeks. You or your attorney should contact the store immediately, requesting that they retain the footage from the time and location of the accident. Your attorney can file a preservation letter, formally requesting that the store secure the footage as evidence.
Building a Strong Case with Security Footage
At Mainor Ellis in Las Vegas, we understand the critical role that security footage can play in grocery store accident claims. We work to secure this evidence, analyze it thoroughly, and use it to build a compelling case for our clients. If you’ve been injured due to a grocery store’s negligence, our Las Vegas Grocery Store Accident Lawyers can help you leverage security footage to seek the compensation you deserve. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your claim and protect your rights in a grocery store accident case.
Source:
leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-041.html
