You were walking through a grocery store, a parking lot, or an apartment stairwell when your foot hit something slick, uneven, or broken. In seconds you were on the ground, hurt, and probably embarrassed. In the days that follow, you may find that the single most important question in your case is not what happened to you but what can be proven.
In Utah slip and fall cases, the property owner’s insurance company rarely takes your word for it. They look for reasons to dispute what happened, how long the hazard existed, and whether you were partly to blame. Security footage and photographs are some of the most powerful tools for answering those arguments, and they are also some of the easiest evidence to lose.
What You Have to Prove in a Utah Slip and Fall Case
A fall on someone else’s property is not automatically the property owner’s legal responsibility. Under Utah premises liability law, you generally need to show that:
- A dangerous condition existed on the property (a wet floor, broken stair, icy walkway, loose carpet, poor lighting, and so on).
- The owner or business knew about the condition, or should have known about it through reasonable inspection, and had a reasonable amount of time to fix it or warn visitors.
- The owner failed to act reasonably.
- That failure caused your fall and your injuries.
The second element is where most cases are fought. A store will often say, “We had no idea that the spill was there.” Evidence showing how long a hazard sat on the floor, and whether anyone walked past it, can directly contradict that claim.
Why Security Footage Is So valuable
Many businesses, apartment complexes, parking structures, and public buildings in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, and across the Wasatch Front have cameras running constantly. That footage can be the closest thing to an impartial witness.
It shows how the fall actually happened. Video can confirm that you were walking normally, paying attention, and not rushing or distracted. That matters because insurers frequently argue that the injured person caused their own fall.
It can show how long the hazard existed. Footage from the minutes or hours before your fall may show a spill appearing, employees walking past it, or a leak that was visibly growing. This can help establish the owner knew, or should have known, about the problem.
It can reveal what the property owner did or did not do. Video may show whether employees were inspecting the area, whether warning signs were places, or whether a worker was aware of the problem and left it unaddressed.
It protects you against shifting stories. Witness memories fade and accounts change. Video does not.
Why Your Own Photos Matter Just as Much
Security cameras don’t catch everything. Cameras may not cover the exact spot, may be low resolution, or may not exist at all. Your own photos can fill the gaps, and unlike video, you control whether they are taken.
Photos help because:
- Hazards get fixed fast. Spills are wiped up, ice is salted, broken tiles are patched, and wet-floor signs appear after the fact. Once the hazard is gone, it is hard to prove it was ever there.
- They show the condition from your perspective. Poor lighting, a hidden step, or a confusing walkway often look very different in a photo than in a verbal description.
- They document your injuries. Bruising, swelling, and scrapes change quickly, and photos taken over several days show how your injuries developed.
- They help counter blame. If the insurer claims you wore the wrong shoes or should have seen the hazard, photos of the area, the lighting, and the surface can help tell the real story.
What to Film and Take Photos of After a Fall
If you are physically able, or someone with you can help, try to capture this at the scene of your fall:
- The exact spot where you fell, from several different angles and distances
- The hazard itself: the spill, the cracked pavement, the ice, the loose rug, the damaged stair
- Warning signs, or the lack of them
- Lighting conditions in the area
- Your footwear and clothing
- Visible cameras in the area, including their location
- Your injuries, immediately and over the following days and weeks
- Anything near the hazard that explains it, such as a leaking pipe, a poorly placed mat, or an unshoveled sidewalk
A few extra tips: include something for scale (like a shoe or a coin), turn on the date and time stamp if your phone allows it, and don’t delete or edit anything, including shots that seem unhelpful.
What to Do If You Think There’s Security Footage
- Report the fall to the property owner or manager and ask that an incident report be made. Get a copy of this report if you can as soon as possible.
- Note where cameras are and get the names of anyone you speak with.
- Don’t assume someone else will preserve the video. Businesses may not, and some will not tell you whether footage exists.
- Contact a personal injury attorney quickly, ideally within days, so a preservation request can be sent before the footage is overwritten.
- Be careful with insurance adjusters. Avoid giving any recorded statements or signing anything before you have spoken with a Salt Lake City slip and fall lawyer.
Don’t Let the Evidence Disappear
A slip and fall can leave you with painful, expensive, and life-altering injuries: broken bones, head trauma, back and spine injuries, torn ligaments, and time away from work. Proving that someone else’s negligence caused them often comes down to what can be documented.
Security footage and photographs can turn “he said, she said” into clear proof. The sooner that you act, the better your chances of preserving what matters.
If you or someone you knew was hurt in a slip and fall anywhere in Utah, the slip and fall lawyers at LifeLaw Trial Lawyers are here to help. Our Salt Lake City slip and fall lawyers are here to help you through every step of the legal process. We will research your case, gather evidence, secure footage of your accident, negotiate with the insurance company, and take your case to trial if necessary. Our slip and fall lawyers will fight to get you the compensation and justice that you deserve. To get your free consultation give us a call at 801-206-4002 or reach out to us on our website.