Do’s And Don’ts After A Slip And Fall Accident
Michael Babboni
Premises Liability
Slip and fall accidents may happen anytime, anywhere. Immediately after an accident, you are probably in pain, embarrassed, and confused. During this time, you may be prone to make mistakes that could harm your injury claim before you even begin to work with a slip and fall lawyer. Here are what you should do and not do after a slip and fall accident.Do’s After A Slip And Fall Accident
Report The Accident To The Manager Or Owner
You must report the slip and fall accident to the person in-charge of the property, especially if it is in a commercial property. The manager or owner should create an incident report detailing the accident. You should also ask for a copy of the incident report because this will be used as evidence when you file a claim.
Collect Evidence
Gather as much as evidence as you can, specifically pictures of the safety hazard that caused your fall or if there is a conspicuous lack of warning signs. Photographic evidence from the scene of the accident is very useful.
Gather Witness Accounts
If there were people around when the accident occurred, consider taking their account of what happened and then request their contact details in case you need them to make a statement to further strengthen your claim.
Seek Medical Help
It is possible for you to have gotten injured from a slip and fall accident even if you do not immediately feel any pain. Not only could skipping medical help worsen the injury, but the absence of doctor’s appointments immediately after the accident could be used to disprove the severity of your injury. Seeking medical help is good for both your health and your claim.
Call An Experienced Slip And Fall Lawyer
An experienced slip and fall attorney will help you set up your case to maximize your chances of getting the right compensation to cover the damages you sustained. A lawyer will help you navigate the laws and procedures related to your case as well. In general, they will make the process easier and more manageable.
Don’ts After A Slip And Fall Accident
Talk To Anyone About The Accident
Avoid giving away too much details about the accident to representatives of the property because your words can be used against you. An example is to avoid apologizing in any way because this can be used to shift the responsibility on you instead of on the property.
Provide A Recorded Statement
Insurance companies will likely come to you to either ask you for a recorded statement or to sign a medical release form. These things will also likely be used to minimize the amount of money you can get as compensation.
Skip Treatments Or Therapy Sessions
Like skipping immediate medical help, you should not skip any treatments or therapy sessions after the accident. Apart from the fact that they will help you recover faster from the injury, but they will also confirm that you had an injury from the accident.
Accept Cash Settlement
In an attempt to minimize their costs, the owner or representative of the property where you had the accident may attempt to offer you a cash settlement. However, this offer is almost guaranteed to be way smaller than what you deserve to get. Make sure to talk with a slip and fall lawyer first before accepting any settlements to make sure that you are not getting a lowball offer.
Slip and fall accidents are a serious matter and should be taken as such. Speak to an experienced St. Petersburg lawyer to make sure you get the right compensation.