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One minute you’re going about your business, pushing a cart through the grocery store or walking across a parking lot, and the next thing you know, you’ve tripped or slipped and landed on the floor or ground in severe pain. What should you do next? Knowing what to do can make or break your personal injury claim for compensation.
Here are a few suggestions about what to do if you slip and fall in a public place. A Los Angeles slip and fall injury attorney can help you go after compensation for your injuries and other losses.
1. Get Medical Attention
Your wounds will heal better with prompt medical attention, and you might have some injuries that have not yet developed symptoms. For example, if you hit your head when you fell, you might have bleeding in the brain that could cause a medical crisis within hours.
Your medical records will be valuable evidence for your slip and fall personal injury claim. Your medical file will tie your wounds to the fall and provide an objective description of your injuries.
2. Notify the Owner or ManagerÂ
You should file an incident report immediately if the accident happened at a commercial location. Keep a copy of the written report, and make sure the form contains all the essential details.
3. Get Contact Information of Eyewitnesses
Have all the bystanders write down their names and contact information to help provide evidence for your case. Some of them might be strangers, and it can be virtually impossible to locate someone you do not know without their name and contact details.
4. Photograph the Scene
Cell phones take photographs that are of good enough quality to use as evidence at court, so snap several pictures that show where you fell and what caused you to fall. Get the photos from multiple angles to increase the likelihood of a useful picture. If you are unable to take the photos yourself, ask someone at the scene to photograph the scene for you and send the pictures to you.
5. Document the Accident
As soon as possible, you should write down every detail you can remember about the event. Memories fade surprisingly quickly. If your case goes to court, it could be a year or two or longer before you get to testify, and the defense attorneys will seize upon any inconsistencies in your testimony.
6. Talk to a California Personal Injury Attorney
You do not have a long time to take legal action for personal injuries in California. Missing the filing deadline could cost you everything. It takes time to investigate the slip and fall accident and prepare a lawsuit, so be sure to talk to a California personal injury lawyer right away so that we can help you.
We are happy to offer a free initial consultation with no obligation. If we take your slip and fall accident case, we will handle it on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you will not have to pay any upfront legal fees. You do not have to pay any attorney fees until you win. Contact us today for a free consult.