Slip and fall accidents can be quite harmful. If you fell due to the negligence of another person or business, a lawsuit can help you recover medical expenses, lost wages, costs for damaged property, as well as money to compensate for pain and suffering. Keep these few tips in mind in the aftermath of such an incident, courtesy of our Philadelphia slip and fall lawyers at the Law Offices of Rovner, Allen, Rovner, Zimmerman & Nash.
Receive medical attention: It’s vital that you receive medical treatment immediately. While urgent medical care is necessary to treat and heal your wounds and injuries, it is also necessary because the law requires a professional medical diagnosis to give an opinion of injury and the cause of that injury in any potential lawsuit. You can’t just say you are injured, but it needs to be well documented to have a winnable case.
Inspect the area: You need to immediately identify the cause of the fall and take many pictures. It can be snow, ice, a loose tile or uneven concrete. Take these pictures immediately. If you wait too long, the property owner might change the faulty conditions, record over the surveillance video, or they may disappear. Preserving evidence is crucial to proving your case later.
Write it down: Record your account of the fall, as soon as possible, so it’s still fresh in your mind. It will help us determine how to handle the potential lawsuit and people often forget small details as time passes.
Find witnesses: Write down their names as well as the contact information of anyone who saw the incident occur or, even if they didn’t see the incident, someone might have relevant information about the conditions that existed at the time of your fall or shortly thereafter. A witness like that can describe the conditions of the environment like the floor, lighting, etc. after you fell.
Report It: If you slip and fall in a store or another place of business, inform an employee (preferably a manager) and fill out an accident report, if necessary. Many people do not report their incident because they did not realize they were hurt, but if it is not reported the store may not know it even occurred.
In time, insurance adjusters and lawyers representing the responsible party may try to approach you. Be mindful that they are not trying to help you, but instead, they are trying to prepare a defense to your claims and doubt about what happened or your injuries. Their goal is to pay you as little as possible and will use what you say, against you. Be cautious with what you say.
Most important of all, speak with our Philadelphia trip and fall lawyers. We have many years of experience dealing with insurance adjusters or opposing lawyers. When one is injured, our law firm is ready to help.
For over 40 years, we have been accomplishing our motto of getting results for thousands of grateful and satisfied clients throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. The firm is headed and founded by former Pennsylvania State Senator and Assistant District Attorney Robert Rovner.
To hear more about our legal services, please call 215-259-5958 or fill out a contact form on our website immediately.
