What Should You do After You Slip and Fall?

Slip and Fall accidents are injuries that can lead to life-altering changes. Business owners may try to fight liability when a slip and fall injury occurs on their property. Business owners may also try to claim negligence or downplay the seriousness of your injury.

A fall can occur inside and outside and result from cracked or uneven flooring, wet floors, improper lighting, or weather. Weather conditions like ice, snow, or black ice can cause severe injuries in the winter months. Most slip and fall injuries occur in grocery stores, parking lots, and on sidewalks that have been improperly maintained. Property owners should be responsible for damages resulting from wrongly kept areas that led to dangerous conditions on their property, where the owner knows about areas of concern.

You must document and snap photos of what happened and when. Notice and document any pain, broken or swollen areas. If you can move, inform security. Suppose you cannot move and have a severe injury; request medical attention. Also, it is essential to document how and why the floor is wet and why areas are uneven or broken. Have someone take photos of the area to verify the issue that lead to you falling. Questions asked may include: Did you miss a step? Was there a defect on the ground where you fell? Were you using a handrail, or was one unavailable or inaccessible? Were you distracted when you fell? After answering all of these questions, consult with a personal injury lawyer. A lawyer can help you understand your rights and options under the law and can assist you in filing a personal injury claim against the responsible party. A personal injury lawyer will also battle insurance and the business owner for any negligence or rejection of the claim. Insurance will try to downplay someone filing for a slip and fall indecent on their own, so contacting a lawyer will ensure all evidence is accounted for and shown. The faster you can get proof, like surveillance video, the better.

In some cases, the business owner may be held liable for your injuries if the business’s negligence caused them. If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, it is vital to contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case. Contact Roberto Hernandez today to get the representation you deserve.

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• A spill on the floor that is not cleaned up;
• Throw rugs or carpet that have been flipped up or rolled;
• A surface that does not have proper drainage causing water or ice to build up;
• Sidewalks, entryways, or stairs that have not been shoveled;
• Improper railings on stairs;
• A hole or defect in the floor that causes someone to trip; and
• An item is placed on the floor that should not be there.

Who can be Held Responsible?

Do not assume that just because you experience a slip and fall the land or property owner is at fault.  There are factual scenarios and circumstances that need to be considered.  Was the land or property owner aware of the hazard and failed to remedy the situation?  Perhaps a repair was needed but not addressed.  How long had the issue existed?  If the issue should have been discovered and wasn’t, what would a reasonable person have done?  Did the land or property owner cause a dangerous condition to exist?  In most instances involving the above-mentioned circumstances, a land or property owner may be held liable.

That said, if you contribute to the negligence which causes you to slip and fall, then perhaps a land or property owner may not be held liable, or will only be held partially liable.  For instance: if you spill something on the floor and slip in it; you are wearing improper footwear for a certain activity, you fail to see something that others have seen and avoided, or you did not use proper caution, you could have some contributory negligence or even full negligence for the fall.   Liability and negligence will need to be established in order to have a successful resolution of your case.

Once liability and negligence have been established, you can being to explore the issue of damages.  Damages include medical bills, pain and suffering, past and future costs of care, lost wages, and permanent damage.  Slip and falls are not always minor. Rather, slip and fall accidents can cause significant injury, broken bones, or even a traumatic brain injury.

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