When You Slip And Fall In A Public Place…
People can avoid most of the accidents that happen when all measures are taken to avoid them; therefore, negligence is a major cause of accidents to the unknowing public; that is you. Slips and falls not only cause you embarrassment, they are a major cause of bone fractures and nasty cuts. In some cases, death has been reported due to a dangerous fall.
It is important therefore, to hold whoever is responsible, whether it is an individual or a company, responsible for these damages. Critics may argue and say that holding these persons responsible will not undo the damage, and they are right; but holding them responsible ensures that nobody else goes through what you went through so that the damage is avoided.
The justice system allows for the perpetrators of a crime to be brought to justice. The major causes of slip and fall accidents are negligence, wet floors, and floors that bear no warning signs even after they have been polished. What then do you do when you slip and fall in such places?
1. Get a witness
Many people will see you fall and there has to be a person in that crowd who will be willing to stand by you or get their contacts so that you can follow them up. These people should be able to describe what they saw, therefore it is important to ask them to tell you if they saw you fall; many people in the crowd will most likely see you after you have fallen or they will be attracted to the area because of commotion. You need to find a witness who saw you slip and fall and they need to be able to describe it.
2. Determine the cause
Sometimes it is possible that you caused your own fall; take for instance during winter and you stepped into a pool of water then walked into a store, if you slid and fell because of this, you would be at fault. After you have fallen, you will need to look at your surrounding and determine the cause. Look for wet floors, rugs, spilled drinks, check if there were warning signs you could have missed. If you are still too dazed from the fall, you can ask your witnesses or the person you are with to check the area around you.
3. Call 911 and your lawyer
Many people fail to make cases because they did not record an incident report with the authorities. However, before jumping the gun, make sure the storeowner is aware that you fell in his store such that when the police knock at his door he will be aware and with his own copy of the report, signed by you, your witness, and the owner.
Inform your lawyer of the fall and he will take up the case or refer you to a slip and fall lawyer to help you bring charges against the storeowner. An important thing here is you should not agree to settle with the storeowner under any circumstances, especially if you know the fall was genuine; if you do, you nullify any other action or suit that you could have had against the owner. On the incident report, fill in how the accident happened and if you forget all else, indicate that you will be visiting a hospital for treatment and further checkups.
It is important therefore, to hold whoever is responsible, whether it is an individual or a company, responsible for these damages. Critics may argue and say that holding these persons responsible will not undo the damage, and they are right; but holding them responsible ensures that nobody else goes through what you went through so that the damage is avoided.
The justice system allows for the perpetrators of a crime to be brought to justice. The major causes of slip and fall accidents are negligence, wet floors, and floors that bear no warning signs even after they have been polished. What then do you do when you slip and fall in such places?
1. Get a witness
Many people will see you fall and there has to be a person in that crowd who will be willing to stand by you or get their contacts so that you can follow them up. These people should be able to describe what they saw, therefore it is important to ask them to tell you if they saw you fall; many people in the crowd will most likely see you after you have fallen or they will be attracted to the area because of commotion. You need to find a witness who saw you slip and fall and they need to be able to describe it.
2. Determine the cause
Sometimes it is possible that you caused your own fall; take for instance during winter and you stepped into a pool of water then walked into a store, if you slid and fell because of this, you would be at fault. After you have fallen, you will need to look at your surrounding and determine the cause. Look for wet floors, rugs, spilled drinks, check if there were warning signs you could have missed. If you are still too dazed from the fall, you can ask your witnesses or the person you are with to check the area around you.
3. Call 911 and your lawyer
Many people fail to make cases because they did not record an incident report with the authorities. However, before jumping the gun, make sure the storeowner is aware that you fell in his store such that when the police knock at his door he will be aware and with his own copy of the report, signed by you, your witness, and the owner.
Inform your lawyer of the fall and he will take up the case or refer you to a slip and fall lawyer to help you bring charges against the storeowner. An important thing here is you should not agree to settle with the storeowner under any circumstances, especially if you know the fall was genuine; if you do, you nullify any other action or suit that you could have had against the owner. On the incident report, fill in how the accident happened and if you forget all else, indicate that you will be visiting a hospital for treatment and further checkups.
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