What should I do if I fall in public?

If you were injured as a result of falling, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. You will need to prove the following:

1. There was a condition within that place that caused you to fall,  2. The person that owned, operated or managed knew, or should have known, of the dangerous condition.  3. The owner, operator, or manager did not exercise reasonable care to protect those on his land.

However as with any rule, there are always exceptions. Contact a lawyer at Lafata Law to see if the facts of your slip and fall case allow for compensation under the law. 

What should you do if you slip and fall in public? 

1. Identify what caused you to slip and fall. Take a look around. Was there water on the floor? Did you trip and fall on uneven ground? Did you trip over an electrical cord? Was there a sign warning guests of the dangerous condition? 

2. Take pictures of the condition that caused you to slip. You will want to have pictures of the condition, as it is likely that the store will make attempts to rectify the condition before another shopper is injured. If the store is unwilling to compensate you for your injuries outside of court, you will want to have photographic and/or video evidence of the condition that caused you to fall in the event that your case goes to trial. 

3. Document the details. You will want to take note of as many details as possible. Personal injury cases can take a significant amount of time to resolve, and your memory of the details of the incident may fade over time. Take notes regarding what happened to refresh your memory down the road. Being able to recall the details of the incident will bolster your credibility with the judge and jury.  

4. Get the contact information of any potential witnesses. Having a witness that can corroborate the nature of the condition which caused you to fall will be helpful down the road.  

5. Check to see if the store has surveillance video that captured the fall. If they do, ask for a copy. If the store will not provide you with a copy, contact a lawyer right away. The retention time on surveillance videos can be very short. An attorney will know the proper procedure to ensure that evidence is preserved. 

6. File a complaint or report within the store. The store should have some way of documenting an incident such as a slip and fall. Remember, anything you report can be used against you in a lawsuit later.    7. Seek medical attention right away. Some injuries are obvious right from their inception, other injuries take time to manifest. A broken bone will be obvious, but a back injury make take time to surface. There is no harm in getting yourself checked out by a doctor after a slip and fall accident. 

8. Contact an attorney. These cases are time sensitive, and the store is going to have an attorney looking out for their best interest. You should have someone looking out for yours. Slip and fall litigation can be very nuanced and complicated. An attorney can make sure that you are suing all of the parties with the potential liability, not just the obvious parties. 

Let the attorneys at Lafata Law worry about your lawsuit while you work on your recovery. Call today for a free consultation.  

Newer Post > < Older Post