Slip and fall injuries are shockingly common. Injuries from these types of accidents can range from minor to severe and can be caused by various things. Uneven flooring or sidewalks, wet floors, or tree roots are only some potential causes. Whether you fall at the grocery store, on the sidewalk, in a restaurant, or at someone’s home, knowing where to go from here can be daunting, especially if you think you want to take legal action.
There are important steps to take right away to file any legal claim. If you’ve had a recent injury from a slip or a fall accident, you need to take immediate steps. Here is what to do after a slip and fall accident:
1. Seek Medical Attention
While it may seem obvious, it’s worth mentioning that the most important step to take is seeking professional medical attention right after your accident. Slip and fall accidents can be quite dangerous and frequently lead to injuries like slipped discs, broken bones, sprains, cuts, or even brain damage.
Even if you don’t think you’ve been hurt, get a second opinion from a doctor to ensure you haven’t sustained any injuries. If you know you’re injured, it’s especially important not to take too long to seek medical attention, as waiting could exacerbate your injuries. Going to see a doctor can help you set expectations about your recovery and possible symptoms so you’re not taken by surprise in the future.
In addition to the health benefits of seeking medical attention right away, it’s also important when building a potential legal case. Seeking medical attention immediately helps establish that the slip and fall caused your injury and that another outside source did not cause your injury.
2. Document Your Injuries
If you’ve been injured, start documenting your injuries right away. This could include taking pictures of the injured area of your body, writing down your symptoms every day, or keeping records of doctor’s appointments.
Since some injuries like cuts and bruises heal quickly and disappear within a few days or weeks, begin photographing your injuries right away. Documenting your injuries and symptoms immediately following your slip and fall accident will help build your legal claims and credibility.
3. Contact any Witnesses
Were you with a friend or family member when you fell? Was there an employee or patron that saw what happened? Grab their contact information and get a statement from them. Having witness statements builds your credibility and will strengthen your case if you decide to take legal action.
4. Take Pictures and Record Details of the Scene
Like documenting injuries, documenting the accident scene is equally as important. If possible, take pictures of the scene as soon as you fall before anything can be cleaned up or moved.
Write down as much information about the accident scene as possible, including any uneven flooring or tripping hazards you see. This can help establish your case later, as photographic evidence to back up your story will be invaluable proof.
5. Report the Incident
If you fell in a public place like a restaurant or the mall, report the incident to management or owners. This is an important step to take if you build a case for your injury. If available, filing an official accident report would be better than just reporting the incident.
Filing this report early will be crucial evidence in your legal case. Keep your emotions out of the report and document only facts and objective statements.
6. Call an Injury Lawyer
If you believe your slip and fall were caused by someone else’s mistake or carelessness, you may be able to build a legal case to receive compensation. Filing a legal claim could pay for medical bills, rehabilitation, and emotional suffering.
You’ll need to provide your personal injury lawyer Ajax with appropriate documentation such as photographs, witness statements, documents of your injuries, and any accident reports you have filed.
7. Don’t Speak to Anyone
If you feel at a store or another public property, don’t speak to the owners or managers until you have spoken to legal counsel yourself. Owners of stores or properties and their insurance companies may try to get you to speak to them about the incident, but this can be used against you if you decide to take legal action. An injury lawyer can advise you on what to say so that won’t hurt your future legal case.
8. Keep Deadlines in Mind
While it can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, you typically have up to two years to open a legal case. It’s advantageous to begin legal proceedings as soon as possible, however, as waiting too long could allow the defence to try and argue that your injury was not their fault and was sustained elsewhere.
