Award-winning legal video producer Andrew Colton has publicly rejected a law firm's request to use artificial intelligence to make injuries appear more severe in settlement documentation videos. Colton, who produces "day in the life" videos for personal injury cases nationwide, stated that AI has no place in legal video production when credibility is paramount.
Colton's refusal came after a law firm asked him to use AI technology to enhance the appearance of injuries in a case. "Artificial Intelligence has absolutely no place in legal video production," said Colton, who works with more than 200 attorneys and law firms nationwide through his company Colton Legal Media. "My professional day in the life legal video productions are used to credibly document an injury in the hope of reaching an appropriate settlement or judgment. It's inappropriate for any legal professional to suggest that AI should be used to make an injury appear worse."
The incident highlights growing ethical concerns about technology's role in legal proceedings. Colton emphasized that he refused the request despite potential professional consequences, including negative feedback on attorney communication platforms. "There's nothing more important than credibility," Colton stated. "Even if it leads to an unhappy law firm."
Colton distinguishes between professional communication experts and technical videographers in the legal field. He warns that hiring tech-school trained "legal videographers" who might use AI inappropriately could undermine case integrity. "There are law firms out there that utilize so-called CLVS legal videographers for one of the most important elements of a personal injury case," said Colton. "A legal videographer is someone who records depositions. That's not the person you want documenting someone's personal moments like catheter maintenance, bowel program, or amputation aftermath."
Colton's work spans personal injury, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, truck accident, and medical malpractice cases nationwide. His company, Colton Legal Media, positions itself as the leading producer of personal injury documentation videos in the United States, operating without domestic travel fees according to their website at https://www.coltonlegalmedia.com.
The ethical implications extend beyond individual cases to the legal system's integrity. As AI becomes more accessible, Colton's stance raises questions about technology's appropriate boundaries in legal documentation. His position reflects concerns that AI manipulation could compromise settlement fairness and judicial trust in visual evidence.
Colton has advocated for professional standards in legal video production for over a decade, emphasizing that hiring communication professionals represents the only ethical choice for attorneys seeking credible documentation. The incident serves as a cautionary example of how emerging technologies might pressure legal professionals to compromise ethical standards for perceived advantage.
