Every year, slip and falls cause more than one million Americans to require emergency medical care.
While slipping and falling down can be as physically harmful as it may be psychologically distressing – especially when these accidents cause more serious injuries (like bone fractures), taking the steps that we will point out below can be crucial to protecting your health, as well as possibly a future claim for compensation.
After Slipping and Falling…
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If you slip and fall at work or in a public place, here’s what you should do to protect yourself and possibly a future claim, a Denver personal injury lawyer reveals.
See a doctor as soon as you can – Do not put this off, especially if you may have hit your head and/or you are experiencing some significant pain immediately after your slip and fall. In fact, even if you don’t think the slip and fall hurt you, see a doctor anyways.
It’s better to be safe than sorry, as doctors may discover injuries that have yet to present symptoms. Getting treatment for such injuries ASAP can be crucial to preventing more serious complications. What’s more is that a doctor will develop a report regarding your slip and fall injuries, and this report can serve as essential evidence if you end up pursuing a slip and fall claim later.
- Tell a manager (or authority) about the accident – If you fell down at work or in a public setting, tell the acting manager who is on hand about the incident as soon as possible after the accident. This will typically result in another report being developed (by the acting authority) and again can prove to be important later if you choose to seek compensation for your accident-related injuries.
- Collect and retain all evidence that you can – If possible, try to take pictures of the scene of the accident as soon as you can after the accident. Photos can clearly depict the setting and the possible features that contributed to your slip and fall. For instance, pictures may clearly show that walkways were wet, cluttered or poorly maintained. This can be integral later, especially if the acting authority tries to cover up the negligence that contributed to the accident after the fact.When it comes to retaining evidence, also try to keep the clothing and shoes you wore on the day of the accident, as these too may serve as important evidence later.
- Talk to a lawyer as soon as you can – If you are only able to take two of the steps discussed herein, make sure you take the first one and this one, as speaking to a lawyer can help you understand if negligence may have contributed to your accident. This is crucial because it can provide you with some insight regarding whether you are entitled to compensation for your injuries and, if so, what your best options are for proceeding.
Contact a Denver Personal Injury Lawyer at Cederberg Law
If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident – or in any accident caused by negligence, contact a Denver personal injury lawyer at Cederberg Law to find out more about your best options for financial recovery.
To meet with us at no cost or obligation to you, call us at 303-499-0449 or email us using the form at the side of the screen.
In addition to offering free initial consults and contingency fee options, our lawyers make hospital visits to ensure that you have access to the legal support you need – whenever you need it.
