What to do After a Slip and Fall Accident

Slip and fall accidents are all too common. However, not all slip and fall accidents will result in a good cash settlement. Most slip and fall accidents happen because of wet, dirty or defective floors. In addition, most accidents happen in a grocery store, parking lot, or in a mall. Ultimately, each person is responsible for their own safety and the safety of any small children accompanying them. If you find yourself the victim of a slip and fall accident, here are five steps to take after a slip and fall accident.

1. Document the Accident Scene

After a slip and fall accident in a store, employees arrive with mops, wet floor signs and even cameras. The accident scene can change very quickly. If you are able, take pictures of the scene with your cellphone and immediately write down your own statement of what happened. In addition, get names, addresses and phone numbers of any non-employee witnesses. All evidence will be gone once you leave the store.

2. Report Your Accident Immediately

Immediately following a slip and fall accident you need to report it to a store personnel and make an accident report. Even if you are not seriously injured, failing to report the accident can ruin your case. Employees who come to assist you after a slip and fall accident are there to gather evidence to help the store avoid paying you. They are not likely there to help you.

3. Seek Medical Treatment

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, you must seek medical treatment so your injuries can be properly documented. It is important to seek treatment immediately. If you wait, the insurance company or store personnel where you fell, can make a claim that you injured yourself at a later time. If your injuries are severe, visit the ER or urgent care. If your injuries are not serious, see your family doctor as soon as possible. The store’s insurance adjusters will question all medical treatment you receive, especially if you have pre-existing injuries.

4. You May Not Always Recover a Cash Settlement

Many believe if they are injured in a store, they automatically have a good claim and will be able to recover a cash settlement. That is not true. If you have sustained considerable damages or injuries from a fall, you must still be able to prove what caused you to fall before you can receive compensation. Just because a business owns the property, they are not automatically liable for your injuries if you fall on their property. Other circumstances will be taken into account when determining liability.

5. Speak with an Experienced Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer

Before speaking with your insurance company, talk with an experienced slip and fall accident lawyer from Parke Gordon Law Firm. Insurance adjusters will tape record and interview you to try to hurt your case and offer you a lower settlement. Everything you say can be used against you or hurt your case. Make sure to talk to an experienced slip and fall lawyer before you talk to the adjusters. The slip and fall accident lawyers at Parke Gordon Law Firm will fight for every penny you are owed. When you call us, you will be able to discuss your accident with an experienced and trusted lawyer for free. In fact, you’ll pay nothing until we settle your case. Call our Spokane law office now at (509) 482-7274.

Spokane, Washington Law Office

Our Spokane, Washington law firm services clients in and surrounding Spokane, including for injuries and accidents in Spokane Valley and injuries and accidents in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Visit or call our Spokane law firm today. Parke Gordon LLC 421 W Riverside, Suite 515 Spokane, WA 99201 Phone:(509) 482-7274