Slip and fall accidents are very common types of personal injury accidents. However, simply falling on someone’s property doesn’t automatically make them liable for your injuries; you need to collect specific evidence. The experienced personal injury attorneys at Pope & Howard in Atlanta, GA, have outlined the steps you must take after a slip and fall injury to help prove your case. Read more below or contact our office today for a free case consultation.
Take several photos of where you fell, including close-ups and wide shots from all angles. This will help determine exactly what caused you to slip and fall—look for a lack of signage or other possible factors—as well as prove who owns the property.
Since the property owner might clean or repair whatever caused your fall, it’s crucial that you take the photos sooner rather than later. If you are too injured to do so, send someone you trust or return immediately after receiving medical treatment. You should also take photos of your injuries.
Get the names and phone numbers of anyone who witnessed your fall, the condition that caused your fall, or how you reacted afterwards. Ask if they know whether or not similar falls have happened there before. However, you should avoid detailed discussions of how you slipped and fell because anyone you talk to can later testify about whatever you said.
Immediately report your slip and fall accident to whomever is in charge of the property where you fell, such as a homeowner, landlord, or store manager.
If emergency personnel took you to the hospital, call back to report the incident as soon as possible, or ask the aforementioned person you trust to call for you.
If police or the property owner took down an accident report, make sure you obtain a physical copy of that report. But just like with the witnesses, keep communication to a minimum.
Call for an ambulance or ask a friend or family member to drive you to the hospital. Delaying medical treatment will jeopardize the validity of your slip and fall case because it may appear that the accident did not cause your injuries or that your injuries weren’t as serious as you claim. Make sure you attend all of your appointments, or else you’ll give the impression that you weren’t seriously injured or started to heal. Save all documentation of your treatment, including medical records and hospital bills.
Write down every little detail you can remember about your slip and fall accident, including the exact location, what caused your fall, the date and time, and the weather. Chronicle the entire sequence of your fall: what you noticed about your surroundings before you fell, which foot stepped first and where, which part of your body hit the ground first, etc. Keep these notes and everything else that was involved, including the clothes and shoes you wore, in a safe place.
If you or a loved one sustained a slip and fall injury, Pope & Howard is here to help. As one of Atlanta’s leading personal injury and premises liability law firms, we can help get you the compensation you deserve for a serious slip and fall case. Contact us today to set up a free consultation: 404-885-9999.