If you or a family member was involved in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries. If you were injured but are unsure how to determine what, if any, compensation you are entitled to, the following steps can simplify the process and help you get started on the road to recovering your losses.
Seek Emergency Medical Care
After a slip and fall accident, you should receive emergency medical care immediately. If you fail to do so, injuries that are not apparent, such as a concussion or internal bleeding, may be overlooked. Your injuries may also worsen if you delay treatment.
You should also seek medical care because medical evidence is a requirement when you file a premises liability lawsuit. If you attribute your injuries to your accident, the information provided by a doctor may help your claim.
If you delay medical treatment for too long after a slip and fall accident, you also delay diagnosis. This can inadvertently strengthen the insurance company’s claim that something other than the fall caused your injury.
Seeking medical treatment may involve calling emergency services and getting checked out at the location where the injury occurred. If you are unable to do so on your own, ask someone to help you. If someone witnessed your fall, it is also a good idea to get their contact information. You may need this information if you decide to file a liability claim.
Report the Accident
In the case of a slip and fall accident, it might not be clear who you should contact to report and document your accident. Start with the owner or manager of the property or business where you fell and were injured. If you are too injured to contact them, ask someone for help.
Once you have identified and contacted the person, you should:
- Request that they file an incident report to document your accident
- Request a copy of the report
This report is important to your case because it documents the specifics regarding your accident and contains critical details that may bolster your claim.
Continue Your Medical Care
Your doctor may suggest follow-up visits to monitor your progress after your accident. This is especially important if you were a patient in a hospital’s emergency room. Emergency room physicians will do tests to determine the extent of your injuries. Once you are stabilized, you will most likely be sent home with instructions to follow up with your primary physician.
Remember to make follow-up medical care a priority. Follow your doctor's orders, and continue with any treatment, physical therapy, or medications they prescribe.
Follow-up care is imperative to your physical recovery, but it is also important for any legal claim you file. If you fail to follow the doctor's orders, the insurance company may blame the severity of your injuries on your failure to follow up with medical care, thus reducing your claim's value.
Speak to an Attorney Near You
After you receive the necessary medical treatments your doctor prescribed, we recommend you schedule a meeting with a personal injury lawyer near you.
A lawyer can advise you on the steps you can take and guide you to the options that are available to you to recover your accident-related expenses. This may include seeking compensation from the responsible party’s insurance company and helping you to understand the full scope of your possible compensation.
Your lawyer can handle correspondence, phone calls, and compile needed evidence, including:
- Accident reports
- Medical records
- Photographs
- Video surveillance
They can also help you negotiate the settlement to which you may be entitled, and, if necessary, file a lawsuit and defend your case in court.
Let Your Attorney Speak for You
After a slip and fall accident, an attorney can help handle the legal aspects of your case so you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries.
Contact S. Burke Law at (404) 842-7838 to speak to an attorney near you today who can advise you on the compensation to which you may be entitled. Contact us today for your free consultation.