What to Do After a Slip-and-Fall Accident

1. Seek medical attention

Medical attention is critical for your safety, and it's the first step in building your case. The first thing to do is document your injuries. Visiting a doctor immediately after your slip and fall is the most important thing you can do to create an expert record of your injuries.

Seeking care quickly also proves the timing of your injuries. It's common for the defense to claim you must have been hurt on another occasion. Going to the doctor right away removes that argument. The full extent of your injuries may also not be obvious right away — a medical expert knows what to look for.

2. Inspect the scene

What caused you to fall? Was there water on the floor, a hazardous display, or overcrowding? The best time to pin down the cause is immediately after it happens. If you can identify the cause, you can work backward to what the owner could have done differently.

3. Take photographs

A jury can listen to witnesses, but it's far more powerful when they can see photos. Even if you're not sure what you're capturing, photograph the floor, the area around you, and the surrounding scene. Your smartphone is good enough.

4. Identify witnesses

Witnesses verify your version of events. Ask for their name, phone number, address, and email, and a brief description of what they saw. Your attorney can follow up for a detailed statement.

5. Make official reports

A business may want you to file an accident report — go ahead and make the statement. Don't embellish, but include all vital information. Having the complaint on file stops the other side from claiming you didn't take the accident seriously.

6. Write things down

When in doubt, write it down. As soon as you can, write a narrative of exactly what happened — every detail, even small ones. Memory fades quickly, so keep track of your injuries, pain, and symptoms.

7. Work with an attorney as soon as possible

The other side's goal is to pay as little as possible. An experienced attorney can handle negotiations, knowing when to share information and when to hold back. Much of what you need to do after a slip and fall is about preserving the evidence that verifies your story.

Don't let your slip-and-fall claim slip away. Call Naples Spine & Joint today at (239) 734-3356.