A serious slip and fall accident can occur anywhere – the home, the workplace, someone’s house, at an event, a commercial business, or in public. In fact, falls are the leading cause of visits to the emergency room, according to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI). If you ever sustain injuries in a slip and fall on another party’s property, you might be eligible to file a claim for compensation. Below, we detail what to do after a slip and fall to protect both your health and your legal interests.
1. Notify the owner.
If you are able, the first thing you will want to do is notify the owner or manager of what has happened. You need to inform him so he can file an injury report and take notes regarding what has transpired. Ask for a copy of the report that the manager makes to provide the owner/corporate. If you called police to the scene, you can ask the officer for a copy of the incident report, as well.
If someone takes you to the hospital before you have time to officially inform someone, you or your representative can call or visit the owner later to provide the information.
2. Seek medical attention.
Regardless of how insignificant your injuries might seem at first, you always want to get a medical evaluation after you slip and fall somewhere other than your own home. This is important for two reasons:
- You could have internal or other slower-to-manifest injuries that need attention. If you hit your head when you fell, for instance, you could have a brain injury that, without swift attention, may prove life-threatening.
- If you later develop injuries resulting from the fall, such as whiplash, back issues, or other soft-tissue injuries, the insurance company may refute your claim because you did not seek medical care early on. It might try to claim that your injuries were not related to your slip and fall incident. It is better to get an evaluation and have the doctor put your fall on file so that if your injuries worsen, you will have supporting evidence.
3. Gather important evidence.
In addition to keeping your medical records (appointments, bills, diagnoses, etc.) on file in case you file an injury claim, you will also want to collect any additional evidence that is relative to your accident. If you pursue a claim, you will need to provide evidence that the property owner knew or should have known about the falling hazards and did not tend to it. Examples of evidence for a slip and fall include items such as:
- video surveillance footage of the incident
- eyewitness testimonies
- store policies (to prove that an employee violated store policy which caused your accident)
- photos of whatever caused you to slip and fall (cords, puddles, lack of lighting, strewn merchandise, uneven flooring, rippled carpeting, dangerous thresholds, loose rugs, etc.)
Where can I get legal help for a slip and fall accident in Duluth Georgia?
Our team at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC has helped numerous Georgians recover financial settlements after slip and fall accidents that were caused by negligence. We might be able to do the same for you. For a free case evaluation, call our premises liability attorney today. Contact us at 404-418-8244.
