If you have been injured because you slipped and fell on a damaged tile in a store, slippery tile in a store or a spill in a store, you may be able to file a slip and fall personal injury claim. However, the things you do after the slip and fall can have a direct impact on your claim. Here are a few of the dos and don'ts you should follow after slipping and falling in a store.
Do Report Your Injuries to a Store Employee
After you have slipped and fallen in a store, it is important to notify an employee. This should be done even if you do not think or know you are injured yet. You will likely be asked to fill out an injury form stating where you fell and why. If you are not injured, this lets the store know something is wrong with their flooring so they can fix it. If you are injured, this helps to document the cause of your injuries.
Don't Give the Insurance Company a Recorded Statement
After slipping and falling, the store will take your injury form and send it to their insurance company. The insurance company will contact you. It is fine to answer the questions they ask in regards to the accident. However, if they ask if they can record your statement, it is advised that you decline. If you leave information out or don't recall certain information due to nervousness, it may look bad if your statement changes later when you remember or provide more information. Therefore, it is not beneficial to you to give a recorded statement.
Do Follow Up on Medical Treatment
After a slip and fall, do follow up and obtain medical treatment if you feel sore or injured. After the initial treatment, be sure to follow up with all of the advised appointments and treatments.
Don't Exaggerate Your Claims
Do not exaggerate your claims or make yourself out to be more injured than you are. A doctor may see through this and report it. This can cause you to lose credibility for your entire case.
Do Consider Seeking an Attorney
A slip and fall case can be challenging to prove. Consider taking the time to seek out a slip and fall attorney to help you with your case. And don't worry about money; most work on a contingency basis. This means they get paid a percentage of your settlement, rather than by the hour.
Don't Forget to Preserve Evidence
Lastly, don't forget to preserve evidence. After you have slipped and fallen, take pictures of the scene where you fell, obtain contact information from witnesses and try to obtain any video footage you can get your hands on. All of this information can help to prove your case.
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