Injuries can happen to anyone and anywhere, no matter how careful you are. But some injuries may not have occurred at all if it weren’t for the negligence of other people. If you suffered from any damages in public, try to assess the situation because you may be entitled to compensation.
The following are some steps for you to take after you injure yourself in public:
1. Inform the Proprietor or Authorities
Accidents such as slipping and falling can occur when the owner has been negligent with their property. If you slipped and fell at any event, you must directly inform the owner of the establishment or seek help from the nearest person who has the highest authority.
Here are examples of negligence:
- Wet floors, without any warning signs nearby
- Slippery sidewalks because ice or snow hasn’t been shoveled or scraped off
- Broken hand railing or uneven stairways
- Apartments with broken lighting by the stairs
- No fences around swimming pools
- Dog bites
If you’re not sure if the incident counts as negligence, you can seek the help of firms such as 1-800-Injured. You can get access to the best attorneys who will take your consultation seriously should events escalate later.
2. Get Medical Help
If you feel that your injury is severe, call for an ambulance immediately to have a medical team properly assess your condition. It’s essential to know how badly you sustained injuries, if you need to be going to the hospital a few times for treatment, and how much it will cost you to do so. Some injuries may also seem minor, and you may not feel anything at first. But you may also start feeling some form of pain after a few days. Inform your doctor as soon as possible to get some tests if necessary.
Be as detailed as possible to your health workers how you exactly obtained the injury. Obtain the medical report from your hospital, and the names and details of health workers who are checking you physically and mentally. Their knowledge counts on the severity of your injury. Serious personal injuries carry more weight when negotiating for claims. If you sustained a brain injury, internal injury, amputation, burns, or trauma, you must have full detail of it.
3. Talk to Witnesses And Obtain Evidence
If you’re well enough to, at least, move and talk to people when the accident occurred, it’s essential to record how the accident happened and get the names and contact numbers of the people around you who saw what happened. If there’s a CCTV camera on the premises, ask for the video as well. If you’ve already decided to hire legal representation, your attorney can also do that for you if you’re not well enough to do so.
It is vital to find genuine witnesses, and video benefits you when your attorney starts negotiating for your claim. It is a battle of words against words, which is why you need strong evidence to back up your claim.
4. Take Notes and Photos
Take photos of every injury you sustained or ask assistance from a family member to document your physical state. Also, don’t forget to take clear images of the exact spot and location where you got injured. If possible, do it before anyone starts moving or changing the original state of the site. If you slipped on ice or snow, it’s vital to take photos of that area to show that area’s condition clearly. Next, create a detailed description of what you were doing before the accident, how it happened, what object caused your injuries, and how it’s affected you daily life.
5. File A Complaint
You or your attorney must inform the establishment owner or take it to the town or city hall. Filling a police report may prove beneficial depending on the severity of the accident or the injury. The authorities will work with your lawyer to assist you in your injury claim. If you failed to secure witnesses, the police will also work alongside your lawyer to find any more possible people who saw what happened. If employees or staff at the establishment saw what happened and you’re aware of it, it’s essential to inform your lawyer as well.
6. Seek Legal Assistance
Many Americans are getting into personal injury cases because of the recklessness and negligence of property owners. Medical expenses can be high, and not everybody has health insurance to take care of them. There is also the pain and suffering you have to go through even though you have insurance. But, because the accident is through no fault of your own, you’re entitled to ask for compensation from the responsible party.
Now, here’s where it gets tricky: they may do something to limit their responsibility for your injury. If the other party starts involving their attorneys, it’s the right time to call the best legal firm nearby for a partial consultation on what to do in your situation.
That is why starting a slip or fall injury case requires careful steps. Your attorney is likely to know them due to their knowledge of the law. Your attorney will also advise you not to talk to anyone outside of your party, especially with the other party’s insurance providers. They can easily use your statements against you.
The Bottomline
Accidents rarely happen to people, but it’s essential to know what to do if they do. It would be easier to have a family member help you with the steps above if you’re too hurt to move around on your own. As far as gathering of evidence is concerned, your attorney will also do it for you methodically, and within the bounds of what is acceptable by the standards of law. Your attorney will even know to move fast as personal injury claims are subject to the statute of limitations.
You’re likely to win the case once you and your lawyer can compile the evidence you need or required of you and avoid court escalation as well.
