How to File a Slip and Fall Lawsuit Successfully
In the past year, Georgia hospitals have seen over 180,000 people seeking treatment for falls. Despite the frequency of these accidents, the injuries are anything but typical. A slip and fall can leave a wake of injuries, pain, and bills that are difficult to come out from.
When these accidents do occur, innocent victims shouldn’t be responsible for picking up the tab for someone else’s negligence. Understanding how to file a slip and fall claim can be the first step towards getting the compensation you deserve.
We’re here at My 25% Lawyer to help innocent injured victims pursue justice and the compensation they need to recover from the accident. We help victims proceed step by step through the slip and fall claim process.
Steps to Take in a Slip and Fall Accident Claim
For some people, suffering a slip and fall feels shameful, but it might rest assured, these are accidents that may involve someone else’s careless conduct. Instead of shying away or hiding the accident, victims should feel empowered to get the care and compensation they need to move forward. Here are some of the steps you can take after a slip and fall at a business or other location.
Step #1: Seek Treatment
Regardless of how you may be feeling in the immediate moments after the slip and fall, contact emergency medical services and ensure they come out to the accident scene. If possible, don’t try to get up until they arrive and are able to provide assistance. You may feel okay, but trying to get up might worsen injuries that you’re unaware of at the moment.
Step #2: Get An Accident Report
If you slip and fall at a business, notify the owner or manager on duty about the accident when you’re able. If they don’t automatically begin creating an accident or incident report, request that they do so. This documentation provides one of the first and lasting records of the accident and is vital to substantiating a slip and fall accident claim.
If you’re at a location other than a business, like an apartment complex or private residence, you may need to contact the police to have them fill out a report. Again, this provides important documentation that the accident occurred and how it may have happened.
You should also ask to review the information in the report, especially if it’s the business. They may record details in a way that’s more favorable to them or fail to record potentially harmful facts. Ensure that every detail is in the report before signing off on it.
Step #3: Get Follow Up Care
Even if the EMS gave you an all clear, you should still seek treatment at hospital or visit your primary care physician. It’s possible for the first responders to miss or misdiagnose injuries because of the limitations of their time and equipment. Going to a physician or hospital can help determine the full extent of the injuries sustained and prevent you from aggravating any injuries.
Step #4: Contact An Attorney
If you’ve been injured and needed to seek treatment, miss work, or incurred other costs, speak with an attorney to help guide you through the next steps. You may be tempted to go straight to the business or property owner’s insurance, but it’s best to speak with an attorney first. The attorney can help you gather other relevant evidence and prepare you for common pitfalls and insurance company tactics.
Step #5: File Your Claim
Once you’ve found a slip and fall attorney you trust, you’re ready to file your claim with the relevant insurance company. This may be the business’s liability insurance provider or a private individual homeowner’s insurance policy. Be sure to get this information at the scene of the accident to avoid being “ghosted” by the negligent party later on down the line.
Tips for A Successful Slip and Fall Accident Claim
In addition to following the steps outlined above, there are other measures you can take to help ensure a successful recovery and claims process.
Help Gather All the Evidence Available
You can help your attorney collect all the relevant evidence to help the claim. This includes photos, surveillance footage, other videos, and statements or contact information from eyewitnesses at the scene. Piecing together these sources of evidence allows for a full, clear picture of the accident to come into focus.
Continue Recommended Treatments
Keep up with treatment. Delaying or suspending care can cause insurance companies to question the extent of the injuries or whether they exist at all. By following doctor’s orders, you indicate that the injuries are as you claim.
Maintain Robust Records
Keep track of expenses. Georgia law provides compensation for the losses sustained as a result of the injury. This includes more than just hospital and medical bills. If you miss work or find you’re unable to work at the same capacity, this should be documented and submitted to the insurance company.
Avoid Social Media
Insurance companies may try to locate and investigate a victim’s digital footprint for evidence that their claims are not as extensive as they claim. Posts showing a person walking, running, dancing, or engaging in activities that the insurance company considers beyond their capability could be used as evidence to deny a slip and fall accident claim.
Guiding Clients Through the Slip and Fall Claim Process for 20 Years
The aftermath of a slip and fall accident can be made all the more confusing by the arduous process of filing a claim. Instead of going it alone, turn to My 25% Lawyer for assistance the whole way through the slip and fall accident claim.
