While property owners are supposed to maintain safe conditions on their premises, we all know they don’t always take the necessary precautions that keep their properties safe: salting slippery sidewalks, shoveling snow, posting visible notes of caution and so on.
Property owners are responsible for injuries that happen on their premises, especially when they do not indicate and remove known hazards, or exhibit other negligent behavior. If you get hurt because of their disregard, it’s up to them to cover your medical expenses.
As distinguished workers’ compensation, personal injury and truck accident lawyers in NJ, we want to help you succeed in attaining the compensation you’re entitled to. Here’s what you need to do in the moments after a slip and fall accident.
Make a report
Don’t hesitate to make a report. Call the authorities immediately. You may be embarrassed about your accident, or even fail to consider that someone else is at fault. However, it’s imperative that you call the police in the moments after your incident so they can take a report while it’s fresh in your mind, and get you the medical attention you need. Always ask for a copy of the report.
Take photos
Photo documentation of the scene will go a long way in helping you prove, and win, your case. However, this step is easier said than done. While snapping photos is a simple task, in the wake of your incident you’ll have a thousand other things on your mind. You may not be able to get photographs immediately after the accident occurs, but you should go back and take some as soon as possible. Focus on the area in which you slipped, its conditions and its potential hazards. Take photos from multiple angles.
Obtain incident reports
You’ll want to have copies of the incident reports of all parties involved in your accident – that’s you, the property owner and any witnesses. You can obtain incident reports by contacting the police department responsible for taking them.
Tell your doctor exactly what happened
Make sure to be thorough with the ER and your doctor. Tell them that you got hurt in a fall and where it occurred. Tell him or her about every detail pertaining to the pain you’re experiencing, when it started with respect to your fall, and differentiate it from any prior injuries or pre-accident pain. Not only will this information help them treat you more effectively, but it will allow them to make a detailed medical report—which will be beneficial evidence to strengthen your case.
Call an injury attorney
Last but not least, call your lawyer or us. Notifying an attorney as soon as possible helps in getting a complete investigation of the accident, contacting witnesses, preserving evidence and protecting victims from saying anything that might bounce back at them. Remember, insurance companies and owners of properties that were negligently maintained or constructed aren’t your friends. They are motivated to ask questions and write down information that protects their interests, not yours! Many parties, who are at fault, try to hide the facts or circumstances so they don’t have to take responsibility for your injuries. As a group of personal injury and workers’ compensation attorneys in NJ, are generally familiar with how to protect you and your rights and should be contacted as soon as possible.
A slip and fall injury is frustrating and painful, but it’s important not to let your emotions stop you from taking the necessary steps toward building a strong case for yourself. So if you do get injured in an icy accident, follow the above and then give us a call. Stay safe out there this winter!
If you are hurt and need help, contact us immediately so we can go to work for you. We help injured people get compensation and medical treatment so they can get back to health and their daily activities without having to deal with the insurance companies.
