When an accident happens, the end result is usually an injury. When an accident happens due to something you cannot control, you may want to know if there are any legal options available to you. It does not matter if you want to purse a personal injury case or an insurance settlement case, if you want to win any case you will have to prove that someone else is responsible for the injuries you sustained.
Some key questions that will be asked in a slip and fall case will generally be:
- Who are the likely responsible parties?
- Were the potential parties negligent in taking the necessary steps to prevent a slip and fall accident?
As the injured person, you will have to be prepared to defend any claim you have. You will have to anticipate defending the claim that your negligence or carelessness is what caused the accident. In the event that you are hurt in a slip and fall accident, you should try to keep these things in mind:
- Get to the doctor, or seek any kind of medical attention. Being healthy is more important over who caused the accident and everything else that you may be considering. Don’t let anything else get in the way of you seeking medical attention to your leg, back, or any other body part that may have been injured. There are several injuries that can surface days after a fall or other accident has occurred. Even if you do not feel like you have been hurt, you should still undergo a medical evaluation.
- Tell someone about the accident. If you have an accident in a public place, such as a shopping mall, store, or work, you should let someone in charge know what happened. Many people may be able to lead you into the direction of filing accident or injury reports. When you have documents that you can show in court, you are giving yourself a stronger stance.
- A picture is worth a thousand words. If you can take any kind of pictures where the accident took place, you should do that. It can be tough to prove a slip and fall with a picture because anyone can use a mop to clean up the spilled product. If you are too injured to take photos, someone around you may be able to take pictures of the accident scene. This is also a reason why going to the doctor is important because you can take photos of your injuries as well.
- Look for a Personal injury lawyer to handle your case. If you have a lawyer on your side, you will have someone who can look into what happened.
If you have or someone you know were injured in a slip and fall accident, immediate action should be taken. Contact us for any assistance or information you may need.
Attorney Dianne Sawaya is licensed to practice law in Colorado and the District of Columbia. Dianne Sawaya has practiced law for nearly 30 years, and has devoted more than half of those years to achieving personal injury settlements for accident victims. She practices law in Colorado District Courts, U.S. District Courts in Colorado and Washington, D.C., and U.S. Courts of Appeals in Colorado and Washington, D.C.