Many people are unaware of exactly what we mean when we talk about “the cloud,” but it is actually fairly simple to understand. Think of the cloud as a gigantic collection of equipment that allows software to run on any device with an internet connection. The cloud allows you to access your software (photos, videos, texts, games, etc.) from anywhere at any time. It’s what allows you to watch your favorite shows, listen to your favorite music, and play your favorite games on separate devices.
Many cloud services also automatically back up your data, which means that even though you sometimes delete certain applications or folders from your device, they may still be available on the cloud – a virtual entity that has created more convenient, more permanent storage of your software and information. Since the data is not stored on your phone, tablet, or computer’s hard drive, it must instead be housed in ultra-massive data centers in nearly 200 different countries. The cloud is so huge that its servers account for over 2% of the United States’ entire electricity usage.
As it relates to developing a personal injury case, the cloud can be extremely beneficial. While pursuing your case, it is imperative that you present every piece of helpful evidence you have at your disposal – both to show negligence on behalf of the defense and to increase your personal credibility. At the scene of an incident (a car accident, a workplace injury, the use of defective product, etc.), you may have taken photos that could be used to advance your case; for instance, maybe you photographed a faulty ladder after suffering a violent fall on a jobsite. Maybe you sent a text or email regarding your case before, during, or after your injury that may have a direct bearing on your claim; for example, if you sent a text to a friend mentioning the offensive taste of a defective food product, that data could potentially be used as evidence. Given the shift in how data is being stored – from hard storage to cloud storage – it’s possible that even if you have deleted these items from your hard drive or smartphone, they are still available through a cloud service.
One of the most useful aspects of the cloud for our purposes as personal injury attorneys is the ability to retrieve deleted emails, especially from the work environment. Employers and employees alike are often aware of significant safety threats throughout the office, store, jobsite, restaurant, or any workplace. Many times, these threats are observed and discussed, but there is an administrative and organizational failure to rectify them and make the workplace safer for all employees. If there is some sort of documentation – emails, instant messages, or interdepartmental memos – about a detrimental or unsafe workplace that can be retrieved from the cloud, that information will be very helpful during the pretrial stage and when presented in court, especially if this correspondence can corroborate testimony that employers and other administrative officials were aware of the threat and failed to act.
If you have been involved in an incident that resulted in an injury, evidence collection is essential. Make sure to check all of your technological devices, software, and applications for various pieces of data that could help advance your case. If you know that this information existed at one point but that it may have been deleted, it likely still resides in the cloud and could be extracted to present as part of your case.
At Crosley Law Firm, we remain on the cutting edge of new and emerging technology and have the ability to assist you in accessing items that are relevant to your case that you may have thought lost. Please contact us today at (877) 535-4529 or visit us online to learn more about The Crosley Approach, our superior technology, our free consultations, and our “No-Fee” Policy. Our skilled and experienced attorneys have assisted thousands of personal injury clients achieve optimal recovery, and we look forward to doing the same for you.
Reference:
Goldman, D. (2014). What is the cloud? CNN Money. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2014/09/03/technology/enterprise/what-is-the-cloud/index.html
