You’re crossing a zebra crossing in Bakersfield when a vehicle barrels through a red light, knocking you to the ground. There are no eyewitnesses—only the ache of a physical injury, growing medical bills, and emotional frustration. Without support, how will you prove what happened?
This is where video footage becomes your most powerful tool.
From CCTV – security systems in a parking garage to a nearby smartphone capturing the accident scene, video can document the truth. In this blog, we’ll explore how surveillance footage, composite video, and other digital recordings can impact personal injury claims—and how the best personal injury lawyer in Bakersfield uses these tools to fight for justice, legal compensation, and your recovery.
Why Video Footage Matters in Personal Injury Cases
In personal injury law, nothing speaks louder than video footage. Unlike human memory, which fades or becomes biased, motion video surveillance security cameras capture real-time evidence—unfiltered, unbiased, and timestamped. This is crucial when witness accounts are missing or disputed, such as in pedestrian accidents, truck accidents, or motor vehicle accidents involving multiple parties and a complex degree of fault.
Video can confirm whether the responsible party upheld their legal duty or whether a breach of the duty of care occurred. It can show everything — from a driver ignoring traffic signals to dangerous conditions on private property or a business center. Whether pulled from the screen of a video recorder in a commercial project or a black CCTV surveillance camera above a traffic road, this evidence can change the outcome of a case.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 2.2 million people suffer injuries annually in U.S. traffic crashes. Insurance companies increasingly rely on video evidence to determine liability and resolve disputes. That’s why it’s critical to act fast and secure the right footage before it’s lost or deleted.
The best personal injury attorneys in Bakersfield know how to collect, preserve, and present CCTV – security systems, security camera footage, angle video feeds, and other footage in formats courts recognize, ensuring it supports your insurance claim, the claim for compensation, or legal action.
Most Common Sources of Video Evidence
Today’s world is blanketed in surveillance purposes technology—making video footage one of the most accessible and persuasive forms of evidence in personal injury claims. Common sources include:
- CCTV videos from business centers, offices, or government agency buildings
- Traffic cams at intersections and zebra crossings
- Dashcams, body cams, and private footage like outdoor home security camera video surveillance systems, and cameras in business office
- Cameras inside parking garages, apartment complexes, or even smartphones
According to the National Institute of Justice, the integration of video surveillance systems has become a key tool in documenting incidents and verifying facts.
However, requesting and preserving these videos involves legal steps. Some systems delete data in as little as 24 to 72 hours, especially in composite video or close-up CCTV camera formats. Your personal injury attorney must act fast to prevent the liable party from erasing key footage.
How to Legally Obtain and Preserve Video Footage
A personal injury claim depends on what happened at the accident scene; securing video footage quickly and lawfully can make or break the case. However, obtaining this evidence involves navigating strict timelines, privacy laws, and technical procedures—something most victims aren’t equipped to handle alone.
In California, individuals directly involved—such as the injured person, their legal representation, or the insurance company—have the right to request access to CCTV – security system videos, dashcams, or surveillance footage. However, this right is limited by location, ownership, and how long the data is stored.
Most video recorders, especially those used for CCTV – security systems in business centers, parking garages, or private property, overwrite footage within 24 to 72 hours unless it’s intentionally saved. Public cameras operated by a government agency may require a formal public records request or FOIA submission.
To prevent deletion or tampering, our experienced attorney will quickly issue a spoliation letter—a legal notice requiring the liable party to preserve all relevant footage. If necessary, a subpoena can follow. This is especially vital in truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, or motor vehicle accidents where footage from traffic road cameras, smartphones, or office uniform body cams may prove legal duty, degree of fault, or the need for punitive damages.
Our personal injury lawyer in Bakersfield understands these timelines, navigates footage ownership, and ensures your video project becomes an asset—not a missed opportunity.
Real-World Impact: When Video Footage Made the Case
Imagine a client injured in a slip and fall at a local business center in Bakersfield. The property owner denied fault, claiming there was no hazard. However, surveillance footage from a close-up CCTV camera showed a puddle near the entrance, no warning sign, and several employees walking by without cleaning it—proving a clear breach of the legal duty of care.
Because of that video recorder animation, the insurance claim shifted dramatically. The client received a fair settlement that covered medical care, physical therapy, and non-economic damages like emotional trauma and loss of enjoyment.
Without that angle video feed, it would have been a he-said, she-said case—easy for the insurance company to deny. This is the power of video footage: truth, visualized.
The Medical Treatment You Need and the Money You Deserve.
Securing and preserving video footage early can be the difference between dismissal and justice. If you face personal injury issues, act fast—critical evidence may disappear in days.
Contact Farahi Law Firm today for a free case review. Our team of experts will fight for The Medical Treatment You Need and the Money You Deserve.
