Steps to Take after a Slip and Fall Accident
Slip and falls lead to all sorts of major injuries, including concussions, neck injuries, and back injuries. Anyone who falls should immediately seek medical attention. However, you also need to secure evidence for use in your case. The evidence is mostly at the location where you fell, so trying to document the accident is a vital step. The more time passes, the more likely this evidence will get lost or misplaced.
In this article, our Aiken personal injury lawyer lays out simple steps to take that can improve your odds of receiving compensation. We encourage you to call our office if you were injured in any type of slip and fall or trip and fall accident. We have obtained millions for accident victims hurt by negligent property owners.
Photograph the Hazard
People slip or trip due to all sorts of hazards, including:
Trash or loose paper on the floor
Spilled liquids
Condensation
Loose tiles or carpets
Poorly designed or crumbling steps
Ice
Cables crossing the floor
You want to show that the hazard existed on the day you fell. Ideally, you will get a few pictures of the hazard right after falling. The last thing you want is for the property owner to quickly fix the hazard—mop up the water or sweep up the trash—and then claim you tripped over your own feet. That has happened. You can establish the existence of the hazard by taking pictures. If you don’t have a phone on you, then you should ask someone nearby to take a photo.
Speak with Witnesses Who Saw You Fall
We might end up using witness testimony to establish what happened. Witnesses are critical if no one can get a picture of the property or hazards the day you fell. Witnesses are useful even if you took a picture. Try to ask them for a method of contact, such as a phone number or email address.
Notify the Property Owner of the Hazard
You can protect public safety by telling the property owner. If you fell in a store, then it’s sufficient to tell anyone who works there that you fell and point out the hazard. If you fell on private property, then notify the owner. Unfortunately, the owner might not be there, so you will need to call them or visit later.
Notification also helps you begin a claim. Large stores like Walmart have an entire department dedicated to handling personal injury claims. You can get their contact number and open a case. However, don’t go into detail about what happened until you hire an Aiken personal injury lawyer.
Receive Medical Treatment
Someone with a life-threatening TBI might be unconscious and require ambulance transportation. In that case, the person can’t do the steps above, which is okay. When you get to the hospital, tell a doctor where you feel pain and describe how you landed. Many slip and fall victims have broken bones or back pain. A doctor might order an X-ray MRI to figure out the extent of internal injuries.
Some injuries won’t show up for days, so pay close attention to your body. If you notice numbness in your hands or feet or experience dizziness, you should head to the hospital. Your condition might be worsening.
Also remember to keep up with all treatments. Many slip-and-fall victims need extensive rehab. You might be in physical therapy for months or years. Serious brain injuries can require speech therapy, behavioral therapy, and other rehab. You want to show a judge you are doing everything possible to get well.
Refuse to Give a Recorded Statement about the Accident
The property owner’s insurance company could reach out to you soon after the accident. They might be calling to “get your side of the story.” You should decline to offer a detailed narrative about what happened. Instead, you should simply say you aren’t ready—and wait until you hire a lawyer.
Insurance companies want to hear your side of the story because you might slip up and say something that shows you are responsible for falling. An example: you might have ignored a “Wet Floors” sign and run through a business, only to slip and land on your back. Or you were reading a text message on your phone, which prevented you from seeing power cables crossing in front of you.
South Carolina’s comparative negligence law will reduce your damages if you were negligent yourself. For example, you could be 45% responsible for slipping on liquids you didn’t notice because you were careless. In that case, your damages are reduced by 45%. A case that was worth $100,000 will suddenly be worth only $55,000.
It’s critical not to hand over on a silver platter any statement that might be used against you. For this reason, avoid talking until you hire a lawyer. We can operate as your go-between, answering any questions the store or insurance company has.
Schedule a Consultation with an Aiken, SC, Personal Injury Lawyer
This is a critical step. A lawyer provides many services. You should focus on healing instead of answering questions or filling out endless forms. Let us tackle all of that for you.
We can also help bolster the strength of your case by searching for additional evidence. If you fall inside a store, then they probably have security cameras recording everything that goes on. That’s a sensible anti-theft strategy. We can ask them to preserve it and then view it to determine how long the hazard existed. The video might show someone spilled water in an aisle, but staff never came through to find it, or they saw the spill and did nothing.
Contact Surasky Law Firm. We will review the facts and assess the dollar value of your claim. We have obtained millions for injured people to cover medical expenses, lost income, and other damages. We can also seek punitive damages if appropriate. You owe it to yourself to get a passionate advocate on your team.
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