Last month, our firm obtained a large settlement in a premise liability case. These cases are commonly referred to as “slip and fall” or “trip and fall” cases.
Fortunately, there are steps injured persons can take to make pursuit of such a claim easier. When a person falls down in public, the normal reaction is one of embarrassment. The fallen person usually gets up as quickly as possible and walks away from the scene, hoping no one saw them fall. This is exactly the wrong reaction. Instead, if you fall, you should take these actions:
- Inspect the area where you fell. What caused your fall? Was there some foreign substance on the floor? What was it? Observe its appearance and size. Can you tell how long it had been on the floor? Get a sample of the substance, and preserve it.
- Get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of everyone in the area — even if they didn’t see the actual fall. Those witnesses can describe the location and give other details, even though they didn’t see you fall.
- If the fall happened in a store, report it to the manager, and get the manager’s name. Be sure the manager fills out an incident report, and ask for a copy of it.
- Take photographs of the area as soon as possible. Buy a cheap disposable camera if necessary. It could be a good investment.
- Keep the shoes and clothing you were wearing at the time. Make note of any stains or tears caused by the fall.
- Most importantly, seek medical attention immediately if you have been injured.
- Talk with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible, so the lawyer can begin an investigation of the case before changes are made to the scene of the injury.
If you have questions about slip and fall injuries, please contact our law firm.
