A slip and fall injury can put you in a lot of pain. It can make your life inconvenient at the worst possible moment. For Example, being at an amusement park should be an enjoyable experience, but if you get hurt due to someone else’s negligence, your fun time can quickly turn into pain.
Imagine going to get your morning coffee before work, only to slip and fall on a wet floor in the coffee shop; this can ruin your day in the worst possible way. To deal with such circumstances, you will need some expert guidance.
By reading along, you will be able to find out what you should do in the event of a slip and fall accident and what you should look out for.
1. Get Medical Care
After a slip and fall incident, your priority should be to get medical care immediately. It might be that you do not feel the level of pain at the moment due to the rush of adrenaline coursing through your veins. However, once that adrenaline wears off, you will be able to notice the pain.
By getting medical care straight away, you will be able to make sure that your injuries are not serious. If your fall was on a wet floor, you should also get some X-rays done to make sure that there are no hairline fractures in your bones.
If your fall resulted in scrapes and open wounds, you should get them addressed immediately to avoid any chance of getting an infection.
2. Document the Scene
The location of your slip and fall injury is of critical importance. If your injury was due to negligence on the part of the property owner or the management, you will be entitled to compensation. In the event of a slip and fall injury, you have to ensure that you document the scene properly.
To document the scene, you will need to take photos and record videos of the surrounding area. You will need to show if any hazards resulted in your fall. Similarly, you will need to document if signs were present to warn the public of the hazardous conditions.
3. Contact an Attorney
Once you can document the scene and get the medical attention that you need, your next step should be to get in touch with an attorney. A personal injury attorney will be able to help you figure out what you should do after your slip and fall incident.
You can work with top-rated attorney Tad Thomas to get the guidance you need. You can develop a strategy with your attorney and handle the situation accordingly. Your focus should be to get compensated for the medical expenses that you have incurred in addition to any lost wages.
Your pain and suffering and the emotional distress brought on to you by the whole situation also need to be considered in your compensation.
4. Inform the Property Owner
Another thing that you have to consider after your slip and fall injury is informing the property owner. If you have been injured on someone else’s property, you must ensure that you inform the owner. This way, you will be able to save others from the same misfortune as yourself.
By informing the property owner, you will be doing your civic duty. In addition, you will also be able to ascertain if the property owner cares or not. If, upon your complaint, the hazard is removed or appropriate signs are put in place, that would indicate that the property owner is a responsible person.
5. Identify the Party at Fault
For you to take action in response to your slip and fall incident, you will need to know which party was at fault. If you decide to sue for damages, you will need to figure out who will be the defendant in your suit for damages.
You can investigate the matter through your attorney to figure out who was at fault. If it was the job of the employees to fix a hazardous situation, or was it the job of the management to get the situation addressed? You will also need to incorporate the property owner as a defendant.
6. Gather the Relevant Evidence
If you want to take action in response to your slip and fall accident, you will need evidence to support your claim. You cannot expect to make a compelling case against the responsible individuals without a proper evidence chain.
For this purpose, you will need to produce photos and videos of where the incident took place. In addition, you will need to produce witnesses to corroborate your story. You will also need security camera footage, which your attorney can procure for you.
7. Prepare a Sum of Expenses
To provide a backbone to your suit for damages, you will need to prepare a detailed sum of all the expenses you incurred. This will include all the medical bills that you had to incur due to your injury. You will also need to account for all the lost wages due to your inability to work.
You will also need to come up with a number to compensate you for all the emotional and physical pain that you had to endure. The stressful times your family had to go through due to your suffering also need to be accounted for.
8. Seek Compensation for Injuries
To seek compensation for your injuries, you will need to file a suit for damages. Such a suit is compensatory, and it starts with a demand letter. The purpose of sending a demand letter is to provide the party at fault with an opportunity to right a wrong.
If the responsible party is not willing to compensate you for your suffering, then you will be left with no option other than to move forward with the trial proceedings. You will need to show the court how the negligent behavior of a property owner led to your pain and suffering.
By highlighting the obligation of a property owner to make a public place safe for visitors, you will be able to get compensation for your injuries.
William Gall is a seasoned attorney specializing in civil litigation and family law. With a legal career spanning over two decades, William has built a reputation for his meticulous attention to detail and his unwavering commitment to justice. In addition to practicing law, he is a prolific writer, contributing regularly to various legal blogs where he shares his insights on current legal trends, case law, and best practices. His articles are well-regarded in the legal community for their thorough research and practical advice, making complex legal concepts accessible to both legal professionals and the general public.