How Sonitrol security cameras combat phony slip and fall costs

Fraudulent lawsuits are a nightmare, but video surveillance can weed them out.

Slip-and-fall injuries cost billions in insurance claims and settlements, and some of them are not exactly on the up and up. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud (CAIF) estimates that about 3 percent are outright fakery, which equals about $2 billion every year in falsified lawsuits and other settlements.

But what if you could watch your property end-to-end, 24 hours a day, and see firsthand whether a claim is true? Sonitrol can do that.

A well-placed hazard is just a prop in the scammer’s play.

The Real Cost of Slip-and-Fall Fraud

No business owner wants a customer or client to suffer any sort of injury on their property. Not only is it bad from a legal standpoint, but it’s also distressing from the human angle. That’s why you’ll often see “Wet Floor” signs and other warnings in retail stores any time someone has mopped and when it’s raining. All that it takes is just a little water to cause someone to lose footing.

But when people plot to fake a fall injury, everyone pays for it. Everyone except for the one playing the leading role of the victim, that is. The business owner pays in a few ways, from the legal fees to settlements.

It can also cost in raised insurance premiums. Unfortunately, insurance companies don’t just raise rates for one customer. When there’s a widespread problem, insurance rates go up across the board. With billions in settlements, someone has to absorb that cost.

Monitored video surveillance means someone always has your back.

Why Video Surveillance is Important

Although many slip-and-fall fraud fakers get caught, a great many more probably don’t. The National Floor Safety Institute also asserts that while some fraud happens when a so-called victim files a lawsuit, others get their award through strong-arm tactics where the business owner pays up in order to avoid a legal and insurance battle.

Video surveillance allows you to monitor all of your property, all the time. And it works indoors or out. With SonaVision, recording begins when motion is detected, and it’s verified by a Sonitrol operator. So if a person decides to fake a fall, it’s all captured on camera.

Check out how effective SonaVision really is:

How SonaVision Can Help You

Criminals might grow more creative all the time, but that doesn’t mean you have to fall prey to every ne’er do well that enters the premises. Video surveillance automatically records activity in your business, which not only captures the bad guy on video but also helps the police capture them in the flesh.

As CBS Evening News explains, video surveillance is great at catching scammers. Sometimes it’s so clear and obvious, it’s almost laughable. Except when you think about the stress and undue burden placed on business owners and law enforcement. With Sonitrol, you get comprehensive surveillance because our cameras can record in high definition, so positive identification is a lot easier.

One customer was snagged on film pouring out liquids and circling back later to take a well-planned tumble. A woman was caught on tape not only orchestrating a fall by smearing a liquid on the floor using her shoe, but also taking the time to make sure her hair looked great before stretching out in her big performance. Both of them hoped for a big cash award, but got jail time for their efforts.

OSHA ranks slip-and-fall incidents high among workplace injuries, and they are a legitimate concern for business owners. But you can help prevent real ones and catch the fakers.

Prevention just requires good housekeeping such as mopping up spills, keeping industrial grade absorbent mats by entryways, and making good use of “Wet Floor” signage. Catching crooks takes an extra set of eyes, which is exactly what Sonitrol provides.

If you spend sleepless nights worrying about fraudulent injury claims against your company, give Sonitrol of Louisville a call at (502) 966-8999. Our video solutions integrate perfectly with the rest of your security system, and they can help you keep a watchful eye over every square inch of your business.