A slip-and-fall accident can leave you with serious injuries, and it's important to protect your rights after you experience an accident. If you've been the victim of such an incident, a slip-and-fall attorney will advise you to do the following.
Get Medical Care
Even if you're highly confident that you didn't suffer a serious injury, it's prudent to go to a doctor as soon as possible. People don't always notice serious injuries after accidents, and it's best to seek medical care regardless of how you feel. This increases the odds you might catch something that went unnoticed, such as a concussion or hairline fracture.
Likewise, getting medical care improves your odds if you do need to file a claim later. One of the most basic defenses in these cases is that the claimant can't prove the injuries came from the incident. The best way to counter this is through medical imagery and reports from the day of the incident.
Pictures and Documentation
Whatever you can document about the scene of the incident is invaluable. If you can take a photo of a wet floor where there was no caution sign, for example, that can aid the argument that the property owner was at fault. Similarly, if EMTs or the police responded to the scene, ask them for copies of their reports.
It is also a good idea to make contemporaneous notes as soon as you have a chance. Note the time and location of the accident. If there were any relevant details be sure to include those. For example, someone who slipped on a can that no one cleaned up at a grocery store should note that fact. It is hard to tell which details will help a slip-and-fall attorney build a case so try to include as many notes as possible.
Talk With an Attorney
Once more, you don't have to be sure that you're going to file a claim. However, you should at least schedule a consultation with a slip-and-fall lawyer. Most practices offer free or low-cost initial consultations. You can tell the attorney what happened and ask what they think you should do next.
Heal
This isn't just a matter of your physical well-being. It is also important to protect your rights because you want to know how much your body is likely to heal before you file a claim. You don't want to file a claim only to find out after you've accepted a settlement that you had an undiagnosed issue like a spinal fracture.
Contact a local slip-and-fall attorney to learn more.
