4 Things You Should Know About Slip and Fall Cases

You’ve probably seen those yellow signs that are put up after someone mops the floor that say “caution” with a picture of someone slipping and falling. These signs are put up to help prevent slips and falls, which are accidents where someone falls on residential, commercial, or government property and is injured. Slips and falls are considered personal injuries, and you can file a claim if you are seriously injured and the injury could have been prevented. You may be wondering if your case is valid for a slip and fall and what else you need to know about these kinds of accidents. Here are 4 things you should know about slip and fall cases:

1. Notify the Property Owner Immediately

If you end up slipping and falling while you are on residential, commercial, or government property, you should notify the property owner as soon as you are able. If you do not notify this person, your slip and fall case could be invalidated. Reporting your accident is crucial to protect your legal rights and amount of compensation.

2. Fill Out an Accident Report

Once you have notified the property owner, you should fill out an accident report. This documents your incident and provides detailed information that could help your case down the road. If for any reason you can’t fill out a report, you should notify the property owner and contact a lawyer.

3. Gather Evidence

With any personal injury case, you will need evidence in order to prove the accident caused your injuries and to show who was liable for them. If you have a slip and fall case, you should take pictures of the accident site, your injuries, and the object or dangerous condition that contributed to the accident, while still on the scene, if possible. You should also hold onto your clothes and shoes, ask them to preserve any surveillance footage, Your attorney will later obtain copies of your medical records, and try to obtain any needed witness statements.

4. Prove Negligence and Liability

In order to win a slip and fall personal injury claim, you will need to prove negligence that resulted in your fall and related injuries. In order to determine if a party was negligent, it must be proved that the party didn’t act as a reasonable person would have acted under similar circumstances. In addition to discovering potentially liable parties and determining if they are negligent, you must also be prepared to prove that you didn’t cause the accident yourself. This part of slip and fall cases can be complicated, but you don’t have to go through it alone. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you prove liability, negligence, and that you didn’t cause your own injuries.

Now you know a little more about slip and fall cases and what you should do when you have experienced an injury like this. If you have slipped and fallen but aren’t sure about your legal rights, contact one of our personal injury lawyers today to discuss your case.