What To Do When You Slip/Fall In A Store
What Should You Do When You Slip And Fall In A Store?
Going to any store is an everyday activity. When doing this, you hope to get in, pick up what you need, and head home safely. The last thing you could ever think about is suffering injuries from a slip, trip, or fall inside a store. Unfortunately, there are some instances where a hidden dangerous defect/or condition may cause you to be a victim of this type of injury.
The reason that caused you to fall varies widely. The floor might have been wet/slippery without caution, a hidden step up or down, or a shelf or an object from the shelf may fall on you.
Regardless of what caused your slip and fall injury, below are important steps that you should take when this happens to you.
Ask To Speak To Management
Immediately ask to speak to the management. If there’s no one around and you cannot move, it is okay to shout. In most cases, a store employee will come to your aid. Ask them to call the manager of the store. The manager could be the owner or not. However, since they are in charge, you can properly relay your information to them and ask them to fill out an incident report. Most reputable stores have slip and fall policies and incident report forms. If they do, request one and fill it out yourself. If they insist on filling it out, demand to get a copy of it. Get the contact information of the manager as well. These include the telephone number, address, and name. If you think that you may have suffered an injury, call for an ambulance. It is best to be checked out and evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible.
Gather Evidence
The second vital thing is collecting evidence. If possible take photos of the exact place where you fell. If there are other people around, they are your witnesses. Ask them to take pictures of you while in that position (on the floor), ask them to take other photos of the scene, and get their names, addresses and phone numbers. If you can, it is also a good idea to take videos as well. Although these might seem insignificant, they are invaluable when you head to court. Use multiple angles to get a clear picture of the situation. Insurance companies try to deny and delay victims who don’t have sufficient proof of their accident. Therefore, gather as much as you can. That evidence will help support your claim and help in getting you better results.
Seek Medical Attention
This tip is vital whether you have visible injuries or not. Call for an ambulance to take you from the scene, or if you prefer and can go to the emergency room directly from the scene. When you get to the emergency room make sure you describe how you were injured and every body part that hurts you. From the information you give, they will run various tests. It can be a physical examination or an X-ray, depending on the injuries. Stay around and wait for the results. When you are discharged, obtain a copy of your test results and your discharge papers. Those should contain the tests performed, the results, diagnosis, and medications prescribed As well as follow-up instructions. Also save copies of all of your out-of-pocket expenses, such as co-payments, prescriptions, and cost of transportation to and from medical appointments. Your medical reports and your expenses will be used by your attorney to prove your claim for damages and get you compensation.
Contact Your Attorney
Last but not least is contacting an attorney, specifically, a personal injury lawyer. If you sustained substantial injuries due to someone else they should be held liable. A well-experienced lawyer will help you through the legal process. They will gather further evidence, sort the paperwork, prepare you for the case and properly represent- you before a judge and jury if necessary. If all goes well, you will get compensated for all of the different ways you suffered after the fall. Do not suffer in silence when you slip and fall in a store. With the above tips, you now know how to move forward.