Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common personal injury lawsuits initiated in the United States. Contrary to popular belief, someone can’t just trip, fall and blame someone. There are specific things that need to have happened in order for an accident to be someone else’s fault and not just be considered a product of your own clumsiness.
Personal injury lawsuits, or tort cases, are based on the doctrine of negligence. Therefore, to win your slip and fall accident in Santa Ana, you have to prove that someone was negligent and that it was their negligence that was directly responsible for your injuries.
The steps that you take immediately following a slip and fall accident are highly critical to winning your case. Doing the things you should and avoiding doing the things you shouldn’t will make all the difference between holding someone else accountable or taking the blame for your injuries yourself.
To ensure that you can collect all that you are entitled to after your slip and fall accident, it is critical to take these five steps.
- Seek necessary medical treatment
If you are in a slip and fall accident, the first thing to do before you do anything else is to get the necessary medical treatment. Not only do you need to have your injuries addressed and dealt with, but having the documentation proving that you sustained an injury due to the fall will be necessary to prove your case.
If you don’t go right away, then you can risk not creating the chain of causation that you will need. Even if you don’t think that your injuries are severe, you should still seek the attention of a medical professional.
- Notify and report the accident
Wherever it is that you fall, it is imperative that you let a manager, store owner or someone in charge know that you have been hurt. You will then need to file a report internally with the establishment or property owner.
It is important to make sure that the events and conditions surrounding your accident are written down and logged on the scene before you leave to make sure that the owner doesn’t claim that they weren’t aware of your accident later on.
- Keep a record and document everything
From the minute you fall until the moment the case is settled, it is important to document everything–and that means everything. Your medical records and lost wages are going to be important because they will prove your economic damages.
Noneconomic damages, which you are also entitled to, will be much more difficult to prove. Things like pain and suffering and emotional distress will all have to be shown somehow. Keeping a journal, taking pictures, and recording videos of your injuries and your recovery are the best ways to prove your noneconomic damages during the negotiation phase of your lawsuit.
- Don’t talk to anyone
If you are questioned about the accident, even by friends, make no statements. Although you might think you are in the company of people you trust, if they are called to the stand, you will want to make sure that everyone’s story matches.
If the insurance company tries to ask you questions about the accident or your injuries, state the facts only. If you aren’t sure, say that you aren’t sure. It is always best to have your slip and fall lawyer in Santa Ana with you before you say anything official to anyone.
- Consult a Santa Ana personal injury lawyer
The only way to ensure that you get all that you are entitled to and that you can prove your slip and fall case isn’t your fault is by hiring a Santa Ana personal injury lawyer. It is best if you focus on healing and allow your attorney to do the legwork for you.
Not only will that stop you from making any statements that could hurt your case, but it will also ensure that you get all that you deserve for your injuries. A personal injury attorney will handle the case so that you can focus on what is really important: getting better and getting back on your feet.
Slip and fall accidents are common and aren’t always easy to win. That is why it is crucial to know what you should and should not do immediately following your accident. To make sure you get the compensation that you deserve, hire a Santa Ana lawyer, document everything and focus on getting better and back to your life.
