What to do After a Slip and Fall Occurs

Premises Liability and Slip and Fall Injuries

Slip and fall incidents are one of the leading causes of injury nationwide. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, slip and falls are responsible for the most visits to the emergency room nationwide.  It is statistically likely that you will experience a slip and fall at least once in your life.  

Consequently, what should you do if you are injured in a slip and fall?

The following steps should be taken immediately after a slip and fall;

1. Seek Medical Attention.
2. Your health should always be a top concern after any slip and fall injury.  In addition to recovering from injuries timely, seeking medical attention as soon as possible will help to prove that your injuries were as serious as you claim.  Some injuries are not immediately apparent and can take weeks to discover so it is important to get checked at a hospital to allow you to discover these injuries sooner than later.  It is recommended that you avoid making any comments to the medical provider that could be documented in your medical records as an omission of fault or responsibility for the incident.  Make sure to keep track of all medical documents and expenses, as these will later provide the required evidence for your claim.
3. File some type of report immediately.
4. Try to file an accident report with the police if possible.  If you cannot file a report with the police, file a report with the landlord or store owner or other legal entity before you leave, unless of course you require emergency medical attention.  Your report should have eyewitness accounts including their contact information as well as your own personal account as to what happened.  Never sign any form that the landlord, manager, or store owner gives you as these documents may waive or release from your right to pursue legal action. Always obtain a copy of the incident report or take a photo of the document for your records.
5. Photos of the area where the slip and fall occurred
6. The more documentation you have of the scene where the fall occurred the better so make sure to include photos and video.  It is especially important to take photos or video as soon as you can while the scene is still fresh and immediately after the fall.  It is likely that the mess will cleaned, repairs made, and people’s memories fade, which can make gathering evidence later on very difficult.  Take photos or video of the exact place where you fell including the things that may have caused you to fall, and the surrounding area.  If you do not own a mobile phone ask someone at the scene to take photos and to send them to you.
7. Contact an experienced premises liability attorney.
8. Premises liability lawyers are trained to handle slip and fall cases and have the legal knowledge and expertise to ensure that you obtain the legal compensation you are entitled to under the applicable law.  A premises liability lawyer can prove that the condition that the owner or responsible party knew or should have known about the dangerous condition that led to your injury.  It is possible that an owner may be liable for your legal damages because of lack of warning, or lack of action to fix the condition after being on notice of the dangerous condition.  



Sapien Law LLC is ready to assist you with your slip and fall injury case. Our consultations are free and will help us evaluate the merits of your case.  Contact our law firm at (505) 842-5979 or at www.sapienlaw.com and complete a brief intake and schedule a consultation to explore your legal options.