Slip and fall accidents are common throughout the United States and carry a significant risk of serious physical injuries and even death. Even the most minor slips and falls can cause injuries that may need immediate medical or surgical attention and leave you with hundreds or thousands of dollars in medical bills and other incidental expenses related to your slip and fall injury.

Most slip and fall accidents result from unsafe conditions at public or private places, including dim lighting, wet surfaces, loose carpeting, broken flooring, etc. If you or someone you know have sustained a serious injury due to a slip and fall accident on somebody else’s property, you can pursue legal action against the property owner if it is proven that the accident was their fault. To safeguard your legal rights, here is a brief overview of what to do after a slip and fall accident.

Immediate Medical Attention

After any slip and fall accident, the first and foremost thing to do is to ensure your safety by seeking immediate medical attention. Even if you have no visible signs of injury like bruises or bleeding, it is important to seek emergency medical care to rule out any possibility of an internal injury. Most deaths after slip and fall accidents tend to occur due to internal bleeding, concussions, and TBIs (Traumatic Brain Injuries).

It is important to seek medical attention not only for your health but also to create an official hospital record of your visit for when you choose to pursue legal action against the property owner.

Reporting the Accident

If you were involved in a slip and fall accident on someone’s property, you should immediately report the accident to the highest official available at the establishment, be it a manager, supervisor, or the property owner himself. Bringing attention to the accident will lead to an official accident report which can be helpful in any future legal proceedings.

Documenting the Accident

It is essential to document both the scene of the accident as well as your injuries to have concrete proof of the accident that can support your legal claim in the future. If you decide to pursue legal action against the property owner, you will need to establish negligence or fault on the part of the owner. To establish liability successfully, it is essential to have proof of the unsafe conditions that led to the accident.

Eyewitness Interviews

If there were any eyewitnesses at the property, it is essential to obtain short interviews of their version of the accident. Eyewitnesses can provide an objective view of the accident and help in accurately describing the conditions that led to your slip and fall accident. If you are seriously injured and cannot talk to the eyewitnesses yourself, you can ask someone to collect their names and contact information for future reference.

Consulting a Lawyer

One of the most important things to do after your slip and fall accident is to contact an experienced attorney from a reputable law firm who can represent you and help protect your legal rights in case of a premises liability lawsuit. A lawyer can help collect evidence to build and strengthen your legal case, and also guide you through the complicated legal procedures to the best of his/her ability.