Unfortunately, most people suffer a slip, trip, and fall accident at some point in their lives. A slip, trip, and fall accident is often caused by a dangerous condition on a property owned by another entity. It can occur due to various hazards, such as uneven or broken walking surfaces, loose rugs or frayed carpeting, and lack of sufficient lighting in hallways or stairwells, among others. It’s important to know exactly what to do if you suffer from such a mishap. Here are the 7 steps to take immediately after a slip, trip, and fall accident.
1.Seek Medical Treatment
When you have suffered a slip, trip, and fall accident, the first thing to do is seek medical treatment. Your health should always be your number one priority. A medical doctor will check that everything is okay, prescribe you any needed medications, and properly document your injuries. They will also tell you how to follow up on your injuries and if any surgeries will be needed. If later, you decide to seek compensation, these medical documents will be needed.
2.Report Your Accident
Whether your accident occurred in a store, government building, or on the sidewalk, you have to report it to someone in authority, such as a manager, owner, or landlord. When reporting the incident, you should provide the details of what happened and make sure to get it down in writing. You should also ensure that you take a copy with you for future reference.
3. Document Everything
A crucial step to take after your accident is to collect information about witnesses who may have seen the incident. You should write down their names and contact details in case you need to reach them later. Witness statements could make or break your legal claim should you choose to pursue one. You should also take care to take enough photos of the exact place where you fell, with an emphasis on anything that could have caused your accident. Be sure to write down what you were doing before you fell, the way you fell, and details like the date and time of the fall. It’s recommended to keep the clothes you were wearing in a safe place as they may be relevant to your case.
4.Determine Cause and Status
An important step to take after your accident is to determine what caused your slip. There are many hazards that could cause a slip, trip, and fall mishap to occur. You should also determine your “status” which is the duty obligated to you by the property owner. For example, if you are a customer visiting a store, the shop owner is beholden to ensure that the premises are safe for you and if not, an adequate warning should be clearly administered.
5.Meet with a Lawyer
Even if the property owner had prior notice of the conditions that caused your fall, they may try to prove that the hazards were obvious and that they shouldn’t be liable. This is why it’s important to meet with a good lawyer who will go over all the documents you have, confirm your status, and determine the strength of your case and whether or not you are eligible to file a claim. Keep in mind that the statute of limitations for these cases varies by state, so If you reside in Virginia, it’s crucial that you discuss your case with your personal injury lawyer in Hopewell to have someone who will fight to get you rightful compensation as per the state’s laws. Discussing your case with a lawyer is crucial because slip-and-fall accident claims can be difficult to prove as they tend to involve complicated legal issues and multiple parties.
6.Find Out About Compensation
When you have been in a slip, trip, and fall accident, you should be able to get compensated for past and future medical injuries, any lost wages incurred, and even your mental pain and suffering. In order for your claim to be successful, several conditions need to be met. The first condition is that a dangerous situation existed on the premises where you were; the property owner or manager had knowledge of this dangerous situation or should have known about it, and finally, they failed to fix the condition and didn’t provide any warnings about it.
7.Refrain from Making Statements
The final step to take immediately after your misfortune is to make no statements related to the situation and not to communicate with the property owner’s insurance company. You also shouldn’t accept or assign blame until your lawyer tells you how to do so after properly investigating the matter. Furthermore, it’s important to be careful about what you post regarding the incident on social media as anything you say or do can be held against you.
The steps mentioned in this article are essential to follow if the injury you suffered wasn’t due to your own negligence. By law, commercial buildings, parking lots, and walkways must be constantly maintained under a legal duty called “premises liability.” So, if you were seriously hurt due to someone else’s fault, you may be entitled to receive monetary compensation if you are able to prove your case.