Your First Steps After a Slip and Fall

An unmarked area of spillage on a hotel lobby’s floor. An unmaintained stairwell that’s missing the proper railing. An untreated patch of ice on a train platform. These are all examples of potential safety hazards that could lead to a dangerous slip and fall for anyone in the vicinity.

According to the National Safety Council, “Falls are one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries in the United States.” Reportedly, falls account for 8.9 million visits to emergency rooms each year, as well as more than 25,000 fatalities — an occurrence that can increase with age. Falls can happen on the job, at a restaurant, at a grocery store, at a school, and even at a private residence.

Regardless of who you initially think may be at fault, there are certain action steps you should take to protect yourself and your legal rights if you ever find yourself in such a situation:

1. Keep calm and call for help. Even if you don’t feel as though a call to 9-1-1 is necessary, you’ll still need to see a doctor very soon after the incident occurs in order to assess and treat any bodily damage that may have been done. This will also give you the necessary documentation you will need should you decide to file a claim.
2. Use your cell phone camera. Before leaving the scene of the accident, examine the area of your fall for any indication as to what may have caused it, such as an unannounced construction zone, a sudden step down or up, or another sort of danger risk. In addition to taking notes on the environment, it’s also a good idea to take photographic evidence to support your written record. Keeping a detailed trail of documentation can greatly assist in proving who is at fault, whether a full suit is brought to court or a settlement is reached.
3. Report the incident. Find out who the appropriate point of contact is and notify that person of your fall, so that he or she can complete the proper paperwork and provide you with a copy for your own records. Depending on where your slip and fall takes place, a point of contact could include a store manager, a job supervisor, a hotel staff member, a neighbor, etc. Accident reports should detail the people involved, the time, the place, any witness statements, a full description of the incident, the name of the point of contact, and the weather conditions (if outside) or the conditions of the inside area (e.g. spillage, icy conditions, unmarked holes in the ground).

Contact the Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers at Munley Law for a free consultation. There are many factors that go into premises liability law cases (cases dealing with slips and falls), so you’ll need an accomplished slip and fall accident attorney at your side to help you determine the correct course of legal action. Munley Law has 65 years of experience with fall injury claims and has won many slip and fall lawsuit settlements for clients.   Call today for a free case review.