People who get hurt suddenly often have a hard time responding appropriately to the situation. Someone in the midst of a stress response does not typically make the most rational decisions. Additionally, it is human nature to try to minimize an injury out of concern that complaints could inconvenience others.
Someone who experiences a slip-and-fall at a business might try to brush themselves off and act as though nothing happened. The way that they behave immediately after the incident could have a negative impact on their rights in the future. People who take the right steps immediately after a slip-and-fall are in a much better position to reduce their personal financial losses related to the incident.
Document the cause of the slip
A slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall case often depends on the plaintiff’s ability to prove that the business did something negligent. In the time it takes someone to speak with the manager, an employee at the business could mop and clean up the spill that was left unattended to previously. The injured person may then lack the necessary evidence to convince the courts that the business is liable for the incident. Using a mobile phone to capture video footage or pictures of the scene where someone slips or trips and then falls could help them potentially prove that the business is at least partially responsible for what transpired.
Report the issue to management
Even if it isn’t the first step that someone should take, reporting a slip-and-fall to the manager on duty is important. They generally need to put together an internal report. If they know about the slip-and-fall, the company then has an obligation to preserve any relevant evidence, such as security camera footage. Having a report on record at the store can corroborate someone’s claim that they fell and got hurt.
Obtain proper medical care
A premises liability lawsuit usually requires both proof of negligence and also verifiable losses incurred by the affected party. Seeing a doctor as soon as possible after a slip-and-fall can help someone identify injuries that they might initially overlook, like traumatic brain injuries. They also then have medical records that show that their symptoms began on the same date as the slip-and-fall incident. In some cases, a timely diagnosis could actually improve someone’s medical outcome, as a brain injury might continue worsening for days if someone does not receive appropriate care.
It is often necessary to talk about the incident that led to an injury and the impact it has had with a skilled legal team to determine if a premises liability lawsuit is possible. In many cases, those who take the right steps after a slip-and-fall can reduce the personal financial harm they’ll experience because of the incident.