If you have been involved in a slip and fall accident, the first few actions that you take can either protect or damage your potential claim. These few tips can help you go about claiming compensation successfully.
Starting Your Claim With a Slip And Fall Attorney in Plymouth, MA
Report The Accident To The Property Owner
If you get hurt in a trip and fall or a slip and fall accident, you should immediately report the incident to the property owner or the person responsible for the property. If you get injured in a supermarket or any other commercial property, you should report the incident to the highest ranking person within the building. On the other hand, if you get injured in public property, you should report the matter to the town or city if the injury is not severe enough to warrant hospitalization.
Even though failing to report a slip and fall accident the moment it occurs does not bar you legally from filing a lawsuit, it is not advisable to wait more so if there were no witnesses. Many insurers will question the legitimacy of an accident claim that was reported several days after it happened and no witnesses saw it happen.
It’s advisable that you report your accident the following day and in some situations you may be required to send a notification letter.
Get The Names Of Witnesses
If there were people that saw what happened make sure that you get their contact information and their names. Witnesses to a slip and fall accident can be immensely valuable to you if you plan to make a claim against your insurance company. Witnesses can back up your story by describing details that confirm what happened to you. They may also describe other details that you may not be aware of that happened thus putting the other party at fault.
Take Pictures
After a slip and fall accident, you may not be able to take pictures immediately but if you can, take them immediately. Take as many pictures as possible from different angles. If you do not have a camera, you can ask a friend or relative to take pictures of the accident scene. Ensure that you take pictures before the accident scene is altered in some way or before anyone fixes the area of the accident.
It is especially important to take pictures immediately if you have slipped in ice or snow. Ice and snow conditions can change at any time. Ice can be cleared or it can melt. It can be difficult to win a slip and fall accident involving snow and ice if you do not have pictures showing the way the scene was when you accident happened.
Get Medical Help
Ensure that you get medical help as soon as possible; don’t wait. Insurers will assume that your injuries were not severe enough if you did not seek medical help the moment you got into an accident. This may affect the amount of compensation you get.
Explain To The Doctor How You Got Hurt
Insurance companies and juries do not like to compensate individuals whose claims are inconsistent with their initial medical records.
For instance, let’s say that you hurt your head when you slipped and fell down the staircase. However, when you arrived at the emergency room, emergency records indicate that you told the doctor you were having headaches for several weeks and you haven’t done anything that might have aggravated it.
This is a very serious inconsistency in your case and it might not get very far. So if you were in a slip and fall accident, make sure that you make this clear to your health care provider.
Do Not Give A Statement To Your Insurer
An insurance adjuster may decide to call you after you have reported your injury. They might want you to give a recorded statement describing the details of the accident. You are not obligated by the law to do this. If you want to give out a statement, ensure that you consult a Plymouth slip and fall attorney first.
Hire A Slip And Fall Attorney in Plymouth, MA.
Slips and falls can cause suffering and long-lasting injuries. We can help you get compensation for your pain and suffering. Contact us at 508-746-2700 or fill out a contact form to schedule a free initial consultation.
