Among all the different types of accidents, slip and fall is the most common one. Falls can also turn out to be severe and result in bed rest for an extended period. This results in a loss of wages and medical bills, as well.
If you have suffered an injury in a slip and fall accident due to the negligence, ignorance, or intention of the property owner, then you can file a lawsuit and get a justified compensation for all the expenses. But filing a successful slip and fall accident lawsuit is not as easy as it looks. To make things easy for you, we have compiled a list of top 10 things to do if you have been caught in a slip and fall accident.
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Table of Contents
Visit the nearest hospital
After a slip and fall accident, the first thing that you should do is to seek medical help. The injury due to the accident can be severe, and not going for medical treatment can make things worse for you. After getting proper treatment, you should get your injuries documented because it will act as evidence in the court.
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Report the accident
Investigate who is the owner of the property and let the concerned authority of the building know that you have fallen and got injured. There are many property owners that have built a particular procedure for documenting your injury if it has happened in their premise. Follow the system and get the incident documented.
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Gather all the documents
After the proper treatment, you should start gathering essential documents that you will need to file the lawsuit. Some of the essential documents that you will need are a photocopy of insurance policy, bills, and medical treatment receipts, the statement from an eyewitness, and much more. You should also save damaged property as it can be used to make your case stronger. A slip and fall lawyer Miami will guide you on the evidence required for the lawsuit.
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Contact eyewitnesses
If anyone was present around you during the slip and fall accident then you should contact them immediately. You should note down the contact information, address, name, age, and profession of the eyewitness. In addition to this, you should also get a written statement from the eyewitness on how the slip and fall accident happened.
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Click photos
If you have a phone with you then you should never miss clicking photos of the building and the place where the accident took place. For example, if you fell on the stairs and broke your leg because of the damaged railing then you should click pictures of the railing and use it as a piece of evidence in the court. You should also click photos of your injury as well.
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Document your experience
Keep note of everything that has happened during the day leading up to the accident. Take, for instance, if you were out for meetings then document how you reached the building where the meeting took place, at what time you reached there, how you happened to fall, what led to the fall. It is equally important to document the recovery process as well.
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Don’t feel about the legal action
One important thing to know about the lawsuit that you are going to file is that the property owner is not going to pay you the compensation. In all such cases, the insurance company is responsible for giving compensation to the plaintiff for medical bills, loss of wages, damaged property during the accident and much more. So, never feel pity for the property or building owner.
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Never publicize your lawsuit
You should never publicize your slip and fall lawsuit and start talking about it with your friends and in your office. Publicizing your slip and fall lawsuit can have a negative effect on your case. Confine all the discussion regarding the lawsuit between you and the attorney.
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Be cautious and enquire about the insurance companies
Just after filing a lawsuit, you will receive a call from the insurance company representative. The main job of these representatives is to lower down your compensation or settle the lawsuit without paying even a single dime. You should always stay cautious while dealing with an insurance agent and never fall prey to their fake promises. By working with a slip and fall lawyer in Miami; you will be able to deal with various types of obstacles in the lawsuit without any hassle.
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Know about your legal rights and options
It is very much necessary to know about the legal rights and options that you have under a slip and fall lawsuit. In some cases, you may not be eligible to get compensation for loss of wages while in others; you may get compensation for everything.
By following these steps, after a slip and fall accident, you will be able to file a lawsuit and get the compensation you deserve successfully. Choose the right attorney who is an expert in these types of lawsuits and file a strong case.
