Becoming injured in a slip and fall accident can add havoc to your life. All of a sudden you are presented with an unexpected injury that you are likely not physically or financially prepared for. Even though no one wants to deal with the burden of being an accident victim, there are certain steps that must be taken immediately following the incident. Performing these steps will help you preserve your legal cause of action and obtain the help that you need. In general, there are five things our slip and fall lawyer recommends on doing right after an accident occurs.
1. Preserve Evidence
Every successful injury claim requires a sufficient amount of evidence. As such, it is important to gather and maintain evidence as soon as the accident happens. Doing so will ensure that the material obtained is fresh and relevant. It will also help you get your hands on evidence that tends to change over time (such as a witness statement), or that could become hard to locate later (like video recordings).
As soon as you realize you are the victim of an accident it is important to begin to take action. Do your best to speak with people around you who may have witnessed the event. Get the names and contact information of potential witnesses. Also, be sure to take photos of the area where the incident occurred (and any dangerous condition present) and of any injuries that are immediately noticeable. Also, be sure to note the names and positions of any future party opponents (such as store employees) who were notified of the incident. This information will be extremely valuable to a slip and fall lawyer.
2. Obtain The Appropriate Medical Assistance
Part of the evidence required for a personal injury case is proof of an actual injury. The main way to prove this is to provide a diagnosis by a physician and supporting medical records. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that you seek medical attention right away. Getting immediate medical attention ties the injury to the incident, and shows that the injury was serious enough to require immediate treatment.
As your case goes on, it is important to continue receiving medical treatment. You must comply with all the treatment suggestions prescribed by your doctor. This will help to establish a full picture of the injury and will help in estimating damages. Be sure to provide all of your medical records and bills to your slip and fall lawyer in Orlando.
3. Be Careful Talking to Insurance Companies or Party Opponents
As a victim, any statement you make can possibly be used against you in later proceedings. Therefore, it is imperative that you try not to give any more details than necessary. Insurance companies will often attempt to record any statements when you call in to discuss a claim. Often, they can trap you into to downplaying your injury by the way they phrase questions. Similarly, a party opponent (like a property owner) may try to get information that will only help their case. Either way, you should avoid speaking in detail about the case until you talk with a lawyer such as those at the Overchuck Law Firm.
4. Stay Off Social Media
After suffering an injury, it is important to forgo the desire to discuss it on your social media accounts. Most of us like to share important life events as soon as they happen. However, a slip and fall accident is the exception to the rule. You must be aware that insurance companies and opposing parties may look over your social accounts to find damaging information. This information can be saved and used against you during negotiations or trial. Remember to keep your accident as private as possible until the matter is resolved by a slip and fall lawyer.
5. Hire an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney or Slip and Fall Lawyer
Perhaps the most important step you can take in your slip and fall case is to hire an experienced attorney. Using a personal injury law firm, such as Overchuck Law Firm, is practically a necessity with slip and fall cases. Accident cases can be more complicated than they seem, and an attorney’s assistance can help you get the recovery you deserve! Contact us today overchuck.com