Suffering a slip and fall accident is not a minor incident that you can put behind you. Both statistical data and the caseload of any Jacksonville slip and fall lawyer at our firm show that many people suffer severe injuries, requiring expensive medical treatments.
You have the right to seek damages from the owner or administrator of the property where your accident happened. Here is what you need to do to protect your chances of winning a claim.
1. Notify the Property Owner About Your Accident.
The first thing to do after a slip and fall accident is to inform the person in charge. If the accident happened on a residential property, you will verbally inform the homeowner, and record you with the phone while doing so to have proof.
If the accident happened in a store or any other kind of commercial property, you will report the accident to the nearest employee and ask them to bring a manager. In this situation, you will have to fill in an incident report.
However, these reports often contain waivers stating that you will not take legal action against the store. The best option is to take the form with you and say that you will bring it back after you get medical attention. Before you do this, bring the form to a lawyer to find out if you should or should not sign it.
2. Take Photos and Videos of the Accident Area.
You should document the hazardous condition that caused your slip and fall accident as soon as possible after it happens. Wet or icy surfaces and loose carpeting (the most common causes of such incidents) can be quickly remedied after you leave.
Thus, when you come back later to get your evidence, you will find nothing amiss. Without evidence of a dangerous or unsafe condition, you cannot prove the property owner’s liability for your injuries and economic damages.
3. Seek Medical Care Immediately after the Slip and Fall Accident.
A Jacksonville slip and fall attorney knows that the most sensitive part of any claim of this kind is proving causation. In many cases, people walk away after the accident, believing that they are fine.
A few days later, they start experiencing neck stiffness, joint and muscle pain, and other symptoms. Then they go to the hospital and get diagnosed with a joint sprain, spine or neck injury, or even traumatic brain injury.
However, by this time sufficient time has passed since the incident to allow an insurance adjuster to cast doubt on the cause of the injuries. They will claim that you probably slipped on your kitchen floor or driveway and now try to get their client to pay for your medical care.
This is why it is essential to go straight to the nearest ER or hospital immediately after your accident. You will get a complete checkup and diagnostic tests, and the matching dates and times will prove the cause of your injuries.
4. Do Not Post About Your Case on the Social Media.
Many people with valid cases lose their slip and fall claim or get a severely diminished settlement due to social media posts. From the moment you suffer the incident and until your claim is settled, you should not post anything accident-related on social media.
Even an innocent status update or photo can be taken out of context and used to prove that you are faking your injuries. And, if you were wondering, insurance adjusters know how to find your profile and access your posts.
5. Bring Your Evidence to a Skilled Jacksonville Slip and Fall Lawyer!
Finally, one of the most critical steps in winning fair compensation is securing legal representation. Insurance adjusters know how to trick you into admitting fault or accepting a lowball offer.
An experienced Jacksonville slip and fall lawyer knows how to negotiate and even when to threaten with a lawsuit to win the fair compensation you deserve. Since we offer each new client a free case evaluation, you have nothing to lose, so call us at 954-448-7355!
