How Surveillance Footage Can Help Your Vermont Workers’ Compensation Claim
After suffering an injury on the job in Vermont, you are entitled to coverage from your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. Unfortunately, pursuing a workers’ compensation claim may be a challenging experience. Insurance companies sometimes try to avoid paying injured workers the compensation they deserve. For example, the workers’ compensation insurance company may argue that you did not suffer your injury in the course of your employment or your injury is not as severe as you claim. In such cases, evidence is vital. One piece of evidence that can help you prove that your injury is work-related and the severity of your injury is surveillance footage.
How Surveillance Footage Can Help Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
Most workplaces have surveillance cameras. Footage from these cameras can be invaluable in your workers’ compensation case. It can help you prove that you suffered your injury at work and that your injuries are as severe as you claim.
Surveillance cameras capture real-time events. For example, if you slipped and fell and suffered an injury, the accident was captured by the surveillance camera in the work area where the accident happened. The camera captured the exact moment of your accident, showing factors such as obstacles, slippery floors, or dangerous conditions that led to your fall. This unbiased visual record of the incident can corroborate your story and strengthen your case. Surveillance footage can also validate the extent and severity of your injury. After your accident, any moments of distress or physical limitations you experienced were captured by the surveillance camera in the area where your accident occurred. For example, footage of you crying in pain and being unable to stand on your foot can help you prove that you suffered a severe leg injury.
Surveillance footage is a powerful piece of evidence in a workers’ compensation case mainly because it provides irrefutable evidence. Unlike verbal or written statements, which can be subject to memory lapses or interpretation, what is seen on surveillance footage is exactly what happened on the day of the incident. Unlike witness testimony, surveillance footage cannot be influenced by biases or personal perceptions.
Obtaining Surveillance Footage
Obtaining surveillance footage after a workplace accident involves several steps. Obtaining surveillance footage from your employer may be challenging as employers sometimes unjustly withhold it from injured employees. Fortunately, an attorney can help you with obtaining surveillance footage after a work-related injury.
When it comes to obtaining surveillance footage, it is vital to act fast. Contact an attorney as soon as possible. Additionally, before presenting the footage as evidence, it is crucial that you review the footage thoroughly. Look for angles, timestamps, and other details that can strengthen your case. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you with reviewing surveillance footage.
Other Types of Footage That Can Strengthen Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
Apart from surveillance footage from your workplace, other types of footage may be available for use in your Vermont workers’ compensation claim. They include the following;
- Phone camera footage. A colleague, supervisor, or even a customer may have recorded the incident or the aftermath
- Dash cam footage. For workers whose jobs involve driving vehicles
- Footage captured on body-worn cameras.
Contact Us for Legal Help
Our Vermont workers’ compensation attorney at Sluka Law PLC can help you recover the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your case.
