5 Things To Do After A Slip And Fall Accident
Michael Babboni
Premises Liability
Slip and fall cases are very common in and around commercial buildings, such as on a wet floor or a slippery sidewalk. Most people fail to realize, however, that slip and fall accidents commonly occur at residential properties as well. Some of the common hazards that can lead to an accident include:• Wobbly steps in a stairwell.
• A broken handrail on a balcony.
• Missing chunks of concrete or large gaps on a sidewalk.
• Loose carpeting in hallways.
• Broken or loose window screens.
• A dead tree limb that’s hanging on by a thread.
Any of these issues can cause a person to slip, fall, or become injured at any time. Severity of injuries can range from minor skin scrapes to major bone breaks.
Landlords and homeowners are responsible for keeping their properties safe for everyone, from tenants to visitors. In a rental property, the landlord or property owner must keep the following areas maintained and in proper working order:
• Roofs
• Doors & Windows
• Floors
• Porches & Railings
• Steps & Walkways
• Foundations
• Exterior Walls
• Plumbing
• Windows & Screens
Property owners have a responsibility to perform regular checks to ensure that everything is in working order. When damages occur, they must be repaired immediately by competent workmen as soon as they are reported or discovered.
A party who is injured due to the unsafe condition can hold a landlord responsible for their injuries.
5 Things To Do After A Slip And Fall Accident
Here are five steps to take if you are injured in a slip and fall accident. This will help you not only to protect yourself, but to assist in proving your case if you end up with grounds for a claim.
• Seek medical treatment right away. Seeing a doctor is top priority after a slip and fall accident. You might not realize the extent of your injuries until a day or two has passed. By seeing a doctor right away, you are documenting that there was an incident. These records will provide proof that you sought treatment from a medical professional as a result of the occurrence.
• Report the accident as soon as possible. Speak to the landlord or property manager right away and have them make a written report of the accident. Do this before you head to the doctor’s office, injury permitting. Provide as many details as possible, and request a copy of the written report before you leave.
• Record and document everything. As long as your injury is not life threatening, take pictures of the exact location where the accident happened. Photograph the surrounding area. If there were any witnesses to the event, get their contact information. Write down the details of what you were doing before the accident occurred, how you fell, and the time and date of the event. Finally, keep the clothing and footwear you had on stored in a safe place in case it is requested as evidence.
• Limit your communications. Do not document the incident on your social media accounts. Limit your communications with the property owners. Do not provide statements to an insurance company until you have spoken to a personal injury lawyer. Most importantly, do not say it was your fault, or that you are “fine” after the event.
• Seek legal representation. Slip and fall cases were much easier to prove in the past. Anyone who sustained injuries due to an unsafe condition had only to prove that the unsafe condition caused the fall. Today, injured parties must prove that the property owner had knowledge of the unsafe condition and failed to fix it or issue a warning. This is why an experienced personal injury lawyer can be your best resource in a confusing time.