What to Do After Suffering an Injury on a Business Property

We all hope and expect that the businesses we enter are run by competent owners and managers. Falls can produce severe injuries for Floridians. For this reason, Florida law ensures that property owners do all they can to prevent such accidents. When you encounter unforeseen dangers and suffer an injury, it’s important to know what steps to take next. Our experienced team of slip-and-fall lawyers offers the following suggestions on what to do after an accident.

What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident

When businesses fail to prevent accidents, the business may be responsible to compensate you for your injuries. And while financial concerns like medical bills often enter our minds soon after an injury, you should first focus on getting better and limiting the effects of your injuries. Consider the following after an injury at a business: 

  1. File a report. Ask for the property owner or manager on duty. Explain that you fell and would like to file a formal report. The business will likely have a process for doing so, but if they don’t, ask for contact information where you can send the accident description.
  2. Talk to any witnesses. Get contact information for any witnesses and ask them if they would be willing to give an account of what they saw.
  3. Document the scene. Take photos of the scene before the property owner has time to clean it up or alter it in any way.
  4. Take notes about what you remember. Do this as soon as possible while the details are fresh in your mind. You’ll use this information to discuss the slip and fall case with your legal team.
  5. Seek medical help as soon as possible. If it is an emergency, call 911 and go to the hospital.  Otherwise, follow up with your general practitioner or other medical provider as soon as possible to check for any developing injuries or conditions.
  6. Find a slip and fall accident attorney. The sooner you retain counsel, the better. Your attorney will guide you through the next steps and prevent you from making mistakes in seeking compensation for your injuries.
  7. Talk about the case only with your attorney. Do not publicize the accident on social media or even in discussions with friends and family. Avoid putting anything in writing that your attorney hasn’t reviewed as this information could become part of your case.

Damages You Can Seek in Slip and Fall Cases

Seeking compensation after suffering a slip and fall accident is not a simple calculation. It’s so important that you work with a team of experienced attorneys who know how to document and prove your financial impacts after an accident.

Some examples of areas of compensation you might seek in your slip and fall case include:

  • Past medical expenses
  • Ongoing medical treatment
  • Lost income due to missing work or inability to return to your normal work
  • Pain and suffering from your injuries
  • Inability to complete household chores or activities on your own

You’ll notice that some expenses are easy to calculate, especially if you have extensive stacks of bills and income loss. Hiring an experienced attorney can help you to get a fair settlement based on your injuries and the accident circumstances.

When to Contact a Slip and Fall Accident Attorney

Once you are physically able to do so after an accident, you should contact an attorney. Waiting too long to take this important step could mean that you make mistakes in talking to the property owner or insurance company.

Goldman & Daszkal provides legal counsel for accident victims throughout Palm Beach, Broward and throughout the state of Florida. Contact us to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.