Slip and fall accidents are very common and can happen anywhere. Slip and fall accidents fall under the personal injury side of law. While most slip and falls are minor, some can cause major damage. Here are the five main steps to show you what to do after a slip and fall. There are many factors that go into these accidents, it is therefore important to take note of everything you can.
1. Take Pictures
As with any other accident, having proof of what happened will always help the situation. Take pictures of the floor around the fall, any signs (or lack of signs) around the fall, even how the person fell. Having these pictures to show will be a great benefit to your potential case and will help your lawyer immensely. It will also be helpful to be able to back up what a witness is saying, or counter what someone else is saying happened.
2. Follow Procedure
If you slip somewhere public like in a large store, it is common that the store will have a procedure for this type of accident. If they do, go along with it, as well as take these other four steps. If they have a procedure in place it is for a reason and refusing to be a part of this could show an unnecessary problem. You may need to sign a paper or talk to a manager. If there is something said that might suggest that the type of slip and fall you encountered happens often, take a mental note and tell your lawyer.
3. Inspect the Area
It may be obvious, but look closely at the area where you fell and see what caused you to fall. Look around for loose wires, water, signs, or anything else that could have caused you to fall or warned you that you might fall. It is easy to recall what happened right after it happens, which is why you should write down or record what happened as soon as you can. This way there is not time for someone to slip in a ‘wet floor’ sign after your fall. Also, ask others if they noticed what made the fall happen to ensure that the cause can be narrowed down.
4. Find Witnesses
If there are people around you, ask for their names and numbers to ensure that if a case is filed, there are people who saw what happened and are okay with telling a lawyer or court about the incident. Even if someone did not see you fall, they might have seen a wet floor or something that could have caused the slip or fall.
5. Seek Medical Attention
Even if you feel fine, make sure you get checked out by a doctor soon after your fall. This will be great for if you later have injuries come up that could be related. Also it is always beneficial to have a written statement signed by a doctor to ensure that the injuries you have suffered are true and were caused by the fall.
Follow these five steps to ensure that you have covered all the bases after your slip and fall. It is also good to follow these steps if you have witnessed a slip and fall. Again, these steps can be performed in different orders based on the factors of your accident. If you had a slip and fall accident and need a lawyer, give us a call or fill out our contact form to get in touch with one of our amazing lawyers.