Viral Injury Videos: How Footage of Your Fall Can Lead to Damages
Whether it's a trampoline incident on America's Funniest Home Videos or an epic crash during a NASCAR race, people love seeing others get injured in silly and crazy ways. The growth of online video content has dramatically changed the way that these injury clips are shared and viewed through online resources. With so many surveillance cameras and cell phones, it's very likely that your own public fall was captured on film. Not only can this video provide evidence for a personal-injury case, but it may also be a large factor in determining the damages that you receive for your injury. By consulting with a personal-injury attorney, you can break down the aspects of your injury video and use it for your settlement case.
Video Postings
The extent of the video's popularity can have a significant impact on your case. A video that has 100 views is clearly different than one that has 100,000 views. The number of people who see this video may increase your embarrassment and exposure to the public. Along with the video getting shared online, it may be used by news outlets and other television shows that share a variety of the short and viral videos. All of this excess content can be used to showcase the impact of the video and how it directly affects your case.
Emotional Impact
A slip-and-fall accident can often lead to significant injuries. These injuries and the subsequent medical bills are often a large portion and focus of a settlement case. The emotional impact and trauma are also a big part of the case elements. When a video gains a lot of views, you may feel ashamed, embarrassed, and even go through bouts of depression. If this is the case, then your emotional trauma will become another big part of the case. Official statements and testimony can help explain your pain and suffering through the whole ordeal. A pain-and-suffering statement can explain your trauma about the injury, the video that was posted, and the impact it has had on your daily life. For example, you may avoid going out in public for fear of being recognized or ridiculed. The injury and video posting may have also had an impact on your job performance or ability to gain employment. All of these elements will be organized and used to help with your settlement case.
Additional Services
If a video is posted and goes viral, then you may need to pay for additional services to help you cope through this time. One of the main services that you may take advantage of is counseling or therapy. These professionals may help you cope with the trauma that you went through and the aftermath of seeing it plastered all of the Internet. Distractions, group sessions, and extra therapy may all cost money straight out of your own pocket. As you move forward with a personal-injury case, those costs may become a part of the settlement. Bills and future estimates will all be calculated to ensure you receive compensation.
Liable Parties
If your injury took place in a public location, then posting videos of the incident is typically okay. This is especially true if the video was taken using a public surveillance camera like a traffic cam. There are some cases in which the person who shot the video can be held liable for some of the emotional damages that have occurred. For example, if you've fallen and gotten injured, a person recording a video may be getting in your personal space to capture footage. They may avoid assisting you and cause you even more emotional trauma as you deal with the fall and injuries. As you consult with an attorney, you can learn whether the person recording the video should be held liable in the case.
Getting injured is not fun, and reliving the incident may only make things worse. Contact a personal-injury lawyer to find out more information on how to move forward with a case.
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