As we rush around this holiday season, it’s important to understand that accidents can happen literally anywhere. You could be shopping for your groceries or for presents for your kids—it doesn’t matter, you could get hurt.
When you get hurt because of someone else’s negligence, it’s critical to know what to do so that you can pursue damages if you need to.
Want to protect yourself? Here’s what to do after you’ve been in a slip and fall accident.
Get a Copy of the Incident Report
Notify the store. Whoever you can find—the store manager, a sales associate, or someone who is associated with the company. Each store will have a specific procedure for handling a slip and fall injury on their premises. Once you have notified someone in charge, try to get a copy of the incident report. They may not give you one but try nonetheless.
Figure Out Why You Fell
A lot of times, we get cases where a potential client fell and they don’t know why they fell. “I don’t know” isn’t going to cut it. You have to know why you fell. If you tripped over your left foot, you have no case. You’ve got to find out the reason for your fall to strengthen your case for compensation. Even in the moment, when you might be in pain, it is critical to find out—it might be as simple as spilled milk or a tripping hazard that was left out in the middle of the floor.
It’s also important to take pictures, talk to any witnesses and get their information, and make sure that you secure any other evidence that could help your case.
You Have 4 Years to File a Claim, but Get the Ball Rolling ASAP
For all personal injury cases—general personal injury, negligence cases—you have four years to file a claim. However, even though you have so much time to file, it’s extremely critical to file a claim as quickly as possible, because if you sit around and wait, you could lose whatever leverage you have with your case. We’ve had people call us and tell us that they want to file a claim three months after the accident happened. When this happens, we wonder what has transpired in that time, whether they’ve gone to the doctor or pursued treatment for their pain. If they have not pursued medical treatment, it’s probable that their case won’t have a leg to stand on because they can’t prove causation.
Call Us If You Think You Have a Case
Want to ensure that you can get compensation for your injury? Don’t wait to talk to us about the details of your case. We will guide you through the process and do everything in our power to give you the best shot at a maximum settlement.
