With the colder weather approaching throughout the Northeastern part of the country, the reality of a slip and fall accident becomes more prominent each day. A slip and fall accident is not like a car accident for several reasons. Many slip and fall accidents happen when no one is around, which makes it hard to find witnesses. But if you find yourself the victim of ice on the sidewalk or snow on someone's driveway, there are steps you can follow to make sure you are covered.
If you are able to move after your slip and fall accident, then you should get to a medical facility as soon as you can. If you are unable to move or you feel as though moving would be a bad idea, then do not move. You can try to track down a passerby to help you call emergency medical authorities, or you can make the call yourself if you are able to reach and use your phone. Look around for street names so you can come back to the location and make a note of your accident.
If you fell in front of a store or public building, then alert a manager or person in charge of your fall as soon as you are able. If you fell in front of someone's home, then you should let them know that you fell for two reasons. The first reason is that you will want to let them know that you may have to make a claim against their insurance if you are injured.
Secondly, by telling the homeowner you fell, you are alerting them to ice in front of their house that requires their attention. Beyond alerting the homeowner to dangerous ice or to your fall, you should not say much at all to a homeowner to prevent confusing the pending insurance claim.
If your case does have to go to court, you will need as much evidence as possible to get the compensation you deserve. Slip and fall accidents are definitely moments in time that can quickly disappear after the fact. Before the homeowner can take care of the ice or before the store manager can clean off the walkway in front of the store, you need to take time-stamped photos that can be used to your advantage.
The shoes you were wearing when you slipped on the ice can be important parts of your case. The moment you get home from a slip and fall accident, you should put your shoes, boots and clothes into a plastic bag for safe-keeping.
The quicker you get an attorney involved in your case, the sooner your case will be resolved. Insurance companies do not want to go to court, and you can show the insurance company you are serious by bringing in a professional attorney to handle your case.
If you get involved in a slip and fall accident, you should not panic. Remain calm and take deep breaths while you evaluate your situation. After you get medical attention, you should talk to an attorney to make sure that you will have access to the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.
