What to do after a slip and fall?

by Wormington & Bollinger

slip-and-fall-attorney-wormington-&-bollingerSlip and fall accidents can range anywhere from very minor, to very major. They can lead to broken bones, torn muscles, concussions, etc., and these injuries can affect your life in a plethora of ways. Doctor’s bills, inability to drive, inability to work, these are all consequential possibilities preceding a fall, that can really disrupt your life. Sometimes these slips aren’t the fault of the victim, but because of the carelessness of someone else. There are important steps to take after a slip and fall, especially that of one that is the responsibility of someone else. It can happen anywhere, to anyone, and it’s helpful if you know exactly what you need to do if it happens to you.

Call for help/seek medical attention

On many occasions, slip and fall accidents are minor, but there are times that the consequences are more serious than a bruise or a scraped knee. Slip and fall accidents can lead to broken or fractured bones, internal injuries, torn ligaments, and concussions. It’s important that if you feel something is wrong, to listen to your gut and get help before assessing yourself. Better safe than sorry. Firstly, look around for someone to help you, and if you can’t yourself, then have them call for medical care. If you feel like something may be broken, sometimes it’s best to just lie still, as moving can possibly lead to worsening the injury or causing further damage to another part of your body.

Check your surroundings
Next, it’s important to assess your surroundings. What caused the fall? A ridged ground, a hidden step, water, ice, there are multiple physical disruptions around that can lead to a fall. If this is the case, take pictures as soon as possible. Take pictures of the environment, your injury, and the hazard that may have caused the accident. Before anyone else’s opinion can affect your idea of what happened, put your own version of the story down on paper, or type it up on your smartphone’s notepad. Then, look around for witnesses and see if anyone can attest to what happened to you, or explain how they saw it occur. Get the witnesses’ information, name, phone number, email, and addresses. If no one saw the fall happen, still ask someone to assess the surroundings so that they can contest as to what could have led to the incident.

Talk to someone in charge
If the fall happened in a store, or a mall, a restaurant, etc., find someone in charge to address the situation. Ask them what you need to do next, maybe fill out a form or get the manager’s information, and so on. Don’t try to resolve the situation then and there, but do take note of whether or not the staff member was aware of the hazard beforehand.

After seeking medical attention, but before deciding what to do about your situation, speak with someone who can give you legal advice. If you’re the victim of this type of accident and you’re located in the DFW the area, you might need a slip and fall attorney in Dallas or surrounding areas. Here at Wormington and Bollinger, we understand how tolling this type of accident can be on your life, and we’re here to help. Please, don’t hesitate to contact us today so that we can help you to get the compensation that you deserve.