by Paul MankinWhat to do if you are injured in a San Diego slip and fall accident?
Moving through day to day activities is generally a mindless activity. You get up, you work, and then you do your extra activities, and head home. Nothing out of the ordinary, and it is ingrained into you fairly quickly and easily.
However, there are times where accidents can occur. A simple box out of place, a container left open to spill, and many others can cause the floor to become slippery, or for the safety of the floor to be compromised. In these situations, your regular day to day activities can be abruptly stopped due to a San Diego slip and fall accident. In these cases, it can be scary and disorientating to figure out what to do next. Here are the steps you should take when you know you have had a slip and fall injury due to negligence and cause of the property owner/managers.
Steps to take when dealing with a San Diego slip and fall injury
Inspect the scene of the incident
Inspecting the scene of the San Diego slip and fall incident can help everyone, as well as yourself, gain better insight as to why the accident occurred. Things such as an out of place piece of tile, a spill that wasn’t properly labeled and sectioned off, or a lack of proper safety retainings, can all be probable causes of a San Diego slip and fall accident.
This is also important, as identifying what the cause of the accident is the first step to building your case.
Gather any important evidence
Gathering evidence is key to ensuring that your case stays afloat. This can be seen in many ways, and includes, but is not limited to:
- Photographs and pictures of the slip and fall scene.
- Medical documents and reports
- Eyewitness accounts
- Video and documentation of the incident
These can all be found and asked for through various means. Photos and pictures can be taken at the time of the injury through the usage of items such as cell phones and cameras of the place in question. Medical documents and reports can be gathered from the hospital or emergency room that you visited for your checkups. Eyewitness accounts can be asked for from the bystanders, whether immediately after the accident, or later on during the proceedings. However, it is advised that you gather eyewitness accounts earlier, as the later the time you ask, the more the testimony can become obscured. Videos and documentations of the incidents can come in the form of security cameras and on-site staff reports that may have to be written for a superior. These can all be asked for as well.
Get medical attention
This goes for both directly after the incident has occurred, and later on, as you get proper checkups in a timely fashion. Receiving medical attention directly after the incident is a given. If you slipped and fell from a two story house, you may need to be checked up for lacerations, fractures, or internal injuries. Some may be quite visible, like a broken arm, or some may be more the internal factor, such as injured ribs or lungs.
However, medical attention down the road may be necessary as well. Injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, or a loss of vision and basic sensory functionality, may only show symptoms later on as it starts to take hold of your body. In these situations, if it can be tied back to the slip and fall occurrence, then you may be able to be compensated for the injury as well, even though it started to show symptoms much later into the process.
Hire an San Diego slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible
Once medical attention has been given, and you have sufficient evidence to warrant a claim for compensation, hire an experienced and professional San Diego slip and fall lawyer. Having an experienced slip and fall lawyer will not only provide you a link to professional resources and information, they will also be able to protect you in other ways.
They are able to help to file and document any and all information that you may have. This includes getting written reports in order, weeding out any complicated jargon and legal issues, and will help you to estimate and understand what a claim case may entail, and what you may go up against.
Do not communicate with other parties directly
After a slip and fall accident, and during the period that you make your claim and fight for it in court, you must do your best to stay away from contacting and communicating with the other parties involved directly. This is because, for someone that may not know the laws as well, any advantage that they may find, they will attempt to use.
Instead of speaking with them directly, let your slip and fall lawyer speak on your behalf. This includes any and all negotiations, as well as any scheduling and legal proceedings. Your attorney knows what kinds of questions and answers to give out that will not give away too much information to the parties involved, keeping you and your case fairly active.
Keep written records of events
The final thing to do when you are involved in a slip and fall case is to keep a written record of all events that transpire. This includes dating the incident, dating your first medical checkup, as well as who you went to, and what they did. Keep a written log of who you visited, and who you talked to, as well as what you talked about. This will help you keep track of the events that go on, and ensure that no one will be able to tell you differently, since you have been doing it day to day.
If you were injured in slip and fall accident, feel free to call us for a free case evaluation. We are experienced San Diego slip and fall lawyers who want to help you. You can reach us at 1-800-219-3577