What to Do if You Slip and Fall at a Business

Business owners have a responsibility to keep the premises of their businesses reasonably safe for patrons. However, sometimes accidents happen. If you are injured in a slip and fall or other kind of accident at a business, you may wonder what to do next. If your injuries are the fault of the business, you may be able to recover damages from the business. That is partially why it is especially important for you to know what to do if this happens to you, so you can preserve any claims and evidence for a subsequent lawsuit. If you are injured at a business, whether fault is clear or not, you should contact a skilled slip and fall attorney as soon as possible to see if you have a case.

Get Medical Attention

The most important thing to do after a slip and fall accident is to get medical attention if necessary. Whether that means contacting emergency services or going to the hospital, it is crucial that you get the medical treatment that you need. You will want to err on the side of caution, though some injuries take awhile to fully present themselves. You will also want to follow all the medical advice given to you by the doctor, and if you do not the defense can use this against you in court.

Report the Injury

Once you are medically stable, you need to report the injury to the manager or owner of the business where you were injured. They should make a written report of the accident and you should make sure that you get a copy of the incident report and keep it for your records.

Preserve as Much Evidence as You Can

You will want to collect and preserve as much evidence as you can. For example, if there are puddles or other kinds of disrepair in the building, you should take pictures and do other kinds of documentation. Anything that may be relevant to your case should be preserved. Always note any phone calls you make or any other kind of actions you take.

Do Not Post on Social Media

This may be the most difficult step in our modern age, but you should make sure not to post anything about the accident or your injuries on social media. Generally, if there is any chance that there may be a lawsuit you should not post anything at all. Even innocuous posts may be used against you.

Contact a Clearwater Slip and Fall Attorney As Soon As Possible

A business or its insurance company may reach out to you to try to settle your claim. Do not accept a settlement or sign anything without taking to an attorney first. If you slip and fall or are injured in another way at a business, you should contact a knowledgeable slip and fall attorney as soon as you can to find out if you have a viable slip and fall case. Our experienced slip and fall attorneys at Roman & Roman in Clearwater, Florida can help to get you the damages that you deserve.

Resources:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.81.html

floridabar.org/divcom/jn/jnjournal01.nsf/Author/F5EDDA415D032B218525767E0071DA90