Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere and to anybody. Unfortunately, most people suffer slip and fall accidents at some point in their life, and other people’s mistakes cause the accidents.
If you are hurt in a slip-and-fall accident resulting from negligence, you should seek compensation for damages caused. Common injuries include broken bones, soft tissue injuries, brain injuries, hip fractures, and sprained wrists and ankles, to mention a few.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident that is not your fault, the steps you take immediately determine the strength of your compensation claim. Below are five steps you should take immediately after the accident from getting the right treatment to contacting a slip & fall lawyer:
1. Seek Medical Treatment
Injured or not, your first stop after a slip and fall accident should be the hospital. If you do not seek medical help immediately, the insurance company assumes that you did not suffer injuries worth compensation. Make sure to mention all the symptoms you have, even the minor ones, at your initial doctor’s visit.
Delays and gaps in your medical reports strengthen the defendant’s claims that you were not seriously injured. Also, keep the medical records safe because they act as proof of medical injuries. What’s more, if your doctor recommends follow up visits, make sure to attend all of them. Missing appointments is another strategy used by the insurance company to devalue your claim.
2. Report the Accident
Report the accident and your injuries to the property manager or owner. After giving your side of the story, ask them to come to write a report about the injuries. A report from the owner or management is significant because it acts as legal proof of the accident. Agreeing to make a report is an acknowledgement that indeed you were injured within their premises.
Ensure to keep a copy of the accident report with you; it helps the jury confirm the accident and award fair compensation.
3. Document Witness Information
Witnesses are key in slip and fall accidents. Collect their contact info and request them to give their statements when that time comes. What’s more, take pictures of the exact spot where you fell and capture the cause of the accident. For instance, it could be a wet floor without a warning sign. It is essential to document every detail you can remember, before, during and after the accident.
4. Maintain the Attire You Had on During the Accident
The clothes and shoes you were wearing could be the evidence that will make the jury rule the case in favour, so keep them in a safe storage bag. Also, take photos and do not wash them. The blood, dirt, or damage on your clothes show the seriousness of the fall and possible injuries.
5. Do Not Give Statements or Sign Any Documents
Besides asking for the injury report, do not engage in any other communication with the property owners. Decline to fill out or sign any forms regarding the accidents. Do not try to explain the details of the fall and the severity of the injuries to the employees or management. Because they are on the defending side, they can use anything you say at that moment to weaken your claim.
Contact a Lawyer
Slip and fall claims are complicated, and you need the help of an experienced lawyer to prove liability. The earlier you contact the lawyer, the better. Before trusting a lawyer with your claim, ensure that they have experience, knowledge and a good track record in slip and fall accident claims.
