Surveillance footage serves as one of the most powerful forms of evidence in personal injury cases, providing objective documentation of how your accident occurred and who was at fault. Modern security cameras are virtually everywhere, from traffic intersections and parking lots to retail stores and residential properties, creating multiple opportunities to capture the events leading up to and during your accident. This visual evidence can make the difference between a successful claim and a denied one, as it provides indisputable proof of what actually happened rather than relying solely on conflicting witness statements.
Personal injury cases involving surveillance footage require prompt action to secure this valuable evidence before it disappears forever. The knowledgeable attorneys at Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford understand the critical importance of surveillance evidence and work quickly to identify, preserve, and obtain all relevant footage that can strengthen your injury claim.
How Surveillance Footage Can Help Your Case
Surveillance footage provides clear, objective evidence of fault that insurance companies and juries find highly persuasive, as it eliminates the guesswork and conflicting accounts that often complicate personal injury cases. Video evidence can show exactly how an accident occurred, including the speed of vehicles, traffic signal status, weather conditions, and the actions of all parties involved in the moments before impact. This visual documentation often reveals details that witnesses missed or remembered incorrectly, providing a complete and accurate picture of the incident.
The footage also captures your immediate reaction and behavior after the accident, which can support your injury claims by showing your obvious pain, disorientation, or inability to move normally following the incident. Insurance companies frequently argue that injuries are exaggerated or pre-existing, but surveillance footage showing you walking normally before an accident and struggling afterward provides compelling evidence of the injury’s connection to the incident. Additionally, video evidence can disprove false claims made by the other party about how the accident occurred or their own actions leading up to the collision.
Types of Surveillance Evidence Available
Traffic cameras, red light cameras, and intersection monitoring systems frequently capture motor vehicle accidents, providing multiple angles and perspectives of the same incident. Many businesses, including gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants, and retail establishments, maintain exterior security cameras that monitor their parking areas and surrounding streets. Residential security systems, doorbell cameras, and dashboard cameras from other vehicles can also provide valuable footage of your accident from unexpected angles.
Body cameras worn by responding police officers, security guards, or emergency medical personnel may capture important evidence about the accident scene, your condition, and statements made by involved parties immediately after the incident. Public transportation vehicles, delivery trucks, and many commercial vehicles now carry onboard cameras that could have recorded your accident if these vehicles were nearby. Additionally, nearby construction sites, schools, and government buildings often maintain comprehensive surveillance systems that may have captured relevant footage of your incident.
Challenges with Obtaining and Using Surveillance Footage
Time presents the biggest challenge in securing surveillance footage, as many systems automatically delete recordings after 30 to 90 days to save storage space, making immediate action essential to preserve this evidence. Property owners and businesses have no legal obligation to preserve footage unless they receive formal notice, such as a preservation letter from an attorney, creating urgency in identifying and contacting all potential sources of surveillance evidence. Some establishments may deny having cameras or claim their systems were not working, requiring legal expertise to properly investigate and compel production of available footage.
Technical challenges can affect the quality and usability of surveillance evidence, including poor lighting conditions, camera angles that do not clearly show the accident, or low-resolution footage that makes it difficult to identify important details. Privacy laws and access restrictions may limit your ability to obtain footage from certain sources, particularly residential security systems or cameras located on private property. Insurance companies may also challenge the authenticity or relevance of surveillance footage, requiring professional analysis and expert testimony to establish the evidence’s reliability and significance to your case.
How We Can Help You Secure Surveillance Evidence
The talented attorneys at Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford bring over 65 years of combined experience to personal injury cases involving surveillance footage throughout Pennsylvania. Our firm has been recognized as a “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News & World Report every year since 2010, and we maintain an AV-Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, demonstrating our commitment to securing all available evidence to support your injury claim.
We immediately begin identifying potential sources of surveillance footage and send preservation notices to prevent deletion of crucial evidence, working with investigation professionals and technology specialists to recover and analyze video evidence that supports your case. Our thorough approach to surveillance evidence ensures no potential source is overlooked, and we know how to present video evidence effectively to insurance companies and courts to maximize its impact on your claim. Contact us today at (215) 822-7575 or through our contact form to discuss your personal injury case and learn how surveillance footage can strengthen your claim for compensation.
Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford P.C.
Pennsylvania Attorney's
August 10, 2025
