7 tips to gather evidence for your personal injury claim
There are several tips that most popular personal injury lawyers are going to tell you to use to gather evidence.
Write
The first tip is to write everything that you can down as soon as you can. This is because you are going to want to write it down while all of the details of the event are clear on your mind. It is important to remember that if you wait for a later time, then there is a possibly that you could forgot some of the details of the accident. This will be the best way for the lawyer to help you win your case.
Others
The second tip is to ask other people to write down the details of the accident. This means that if there are any witnesses to the accident, you want them to help you to tell your story about the accident. This is the best way that you are going to know that they are not going to be able to change their story at a later date. Plus, they can record all of the details of the event after it happened so that they are not going to forget what might have happened.
Scene
The third tip is to inspect the scene of the accident. Most of the time, the case is going to be centered around the scene of the accident. This is because of all of the information that is going to come from the scene that can make or break your case. If you fell because of a faulty piece of equipment, then you are going to want to inspect that piece of equipment to prove that is actually what happened. This is also the case if you were in an auto accident, the scene will need to be investigated.
Photos
The fourth tip is to make sure that you take plenty of photos. The photos are going to be the best way that you can prove to the jury that someone else was the cause of your accident. You can just take a few photos on your photo before you leave the scene of the accident. The pictures are going to need to include the scene and all of the equipment or cars that were involved in your accident. You will also need to take some photos of the injuries that you got because of the accident.
Journal
The fifth tip is to make sure that you journal all of your injuries. The best way to do this is through your appointments and the bills that you have received because of these doctor visits. You will need to document all of the treatment that you got, the care plan, and your progress along the way. A journal is a good way to keep up with all of your appointments, the expenses that you have had to pay, and the level of pain that you might be in because of all of the injuries that you got during the accident.
Don’t wait
The sixth tip is to make sure that you don’t wait about collecting the evidence. This is because the more time that you take, the more evidence that you are probably going to lose. This means that the accident is probably not going to look the same way that it did when you first had the accident. Plus, there is also a chance that the other person might try to cover up the cause of the accident if you give them enough time to do so. The witnesses could also forget some of the details of the accident.
Evaluate
The seventh tip is to evaluate the spoliation of the evidence. There is a big chance that the other party is not going to be too happy about all of the things that you are going to be doing in order to make your case. Therefore, there is a chance that they are going to try to destroy the evidence so that they can stop you from revealing what truly happened during the accident. If this happens to you, then you are going to be able to show this to the jury in order to help you to win your case.
Author Bio
Kim Hemphry is a modern thought leader in legal matters and a passionate advocate in continuous learning and education. She has been featured on over 50 leading Legal and Educational sites. Her unique and practical take on these topics makes her work an enjoyable learning experience.
5 Important Reasons to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have experienced an accident and have injuries that you are recovering from. If the accident was because of someone else’s mistakes, you are very likely entitled to compensation.
However, getting that compensation can be really hard to do alone. That is why hiring a personal injury lawyer can be a life-changing decision that you should absolutely consider.
Here are five important reasons why you should seriously consider hiring a personal injury lawyer.
They work with other lawyers
Chances are very good that the other party will have their own attorneys to defend their side of the case. Luckily, you will have an experienced lawyer who is not overwhelmed by the process and can confidently work with them. This will make the process a lot easier for you. That especially includes the fact-finding aspect of the case, where you will want your lawyers to effectively defend your claim with facts.
Jury trials
If your case does ultimately end up in the courtroom, your Atlantic City personal injury lawyer will make sure that you are being represented in a way that will lead to the desired verdict.
Your lawyer will make sure to give you the compensation that you are entitled to. This compensation will ideally cover your medical costs, legal costs, missed wages, future expenses related to your injury and any punitive damages that you might be entitled to.
No fees
While many types of lawyers can cost thousands of dollars to represent you in a case, personal injury lawyers only charge you if you receive a payment through your case. This means that you will not be responsible for attorney fees. That does not mean, however, that you may have to pay for things like doctors’ fees so that you lawyer can review your medical records.
Alternative options
Not all personal injury cases end up being settled in the courtroom. In fact, a lot of cases end up with a settlement out of court. That means you get your payment even sooner! Your lawyer will lay out all of the options available to you. The most common resolutions include arbitrations, mediation, a trial, or of course a settlement out of court.
Settlements
In the end, the major reason to consider a personal injury lawyer after you have experienced an accident is because your lawyer can negotiate a large settlement rather than have to go to trial. This means that you give up your right to sue the other party in exchange for a payment. These payments depend on the damages that you have accrued as a result of the accident. Your lawyer will make sure that if you do end up settling out of court, you will be getting a settlement that will have a huge impact on your ability to recover from your accident and subsequent injuries.
Contacting a lawyer can be a scary experience. It makes things get very real very fast. That being said, if you are dealing with injuries from a recent accident, it is your duty to contact a lawyer in your area and take the first steps to getting the settlement you need to feel whole again.
Beginners Guide to Legally Handle a Personal Injury Case
Once you have made your decision to file a personal injury claim, you must do everything to maximize the amount of compensation. If you think you have a valid personal injury case, then receiving a reasonable amount against your case is not a big deal. However, the crucial part of ensuring a successful recovery is to understand and distinguish certain things that can help you provide a strong base for your case. If you are someone new who has recently experienced the personal injury case, read on the article as I have mentioned a few things for you.
Know Your Claim Best
You are the one who better knows the claim than anyone else. And, when I say anyone, I mean the insurance companies, adjusters, and legal attorneys. Only you can explain that how, why, and when the accident happened with you. You were there and you experienced the unfortunate event. They were not with you so you can best elucidate what injuries you suffered, what was your physical condition at that time, how much you spent on medical prescriptions, how do you feel now, and how have you been affected in other disciples of your life. Typically, these are the questions that you need to be mentally prepared for before filing your case in the court of law and respective insurance company. Understand all these things while settling a personal injury claim.
Compensation System Is Fairly Structured
You need to know that a compensation system is fairly simple, easy, and structured. There is no rocket science in that only the insurance company, and your lawyer can understand and read. The process doesn’t come out of a crystal ball; all you need to use your brain to learn about the amount of compensation you deserve against the personal injury. Consider simple factors, for instance, type of accident, type of injury (physical or mental), total amount of medical costs, and repair charges (in case of vehicle accident). By figuring out the mentioned factors, you can easily determine the amount of claim or how much the claim is worth for. You can learn more through online means, by consulting legal help, and by visiting the professionals of an insurance company.
Hire Legal Assistance
Consulting some legal help can maximize the compensations for your personal injury case. Like the professional help of Harris Personal Injury Lawyers offers a solid base to your case in the court of law. The experienced personal injury attorneys fight well to ensure the monetary and non-monetary success of your case. It is preferred if you can spend some money on legal fees. The experienced attorneys have an extensive knowledge of the field, and they can be a great help for accident victims and surviving family members in pursuing full and fair compensation for their injuries. So, it would be best for you if you attempt to gain some external help.
Reserve Substantial Evidences
In the court of law, the legal jury will decide on your case by looking at facts and figures presented to them. You can fight well for a better and fair settlement by showing them solid and relevant evidences gathered during and after the accident. The more you reserve those evidences, the more chances are there to receive a greater amount of compensation. For instance, you can take videos of the accident, take photos of the scene, record important aspects of personal injury. You can even gather information like names and contact numbers of the witnesses. You also need to get a copy of police report. This way, you can back your case with valuable evidences.
5 Qualities to Look for When Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Life doesn’t always go as we want it. We all face many unfortunate incidents in our life that we can’t control. One can take all precautionary measures but also save him only to an extent. One of the ill-fated situations I’m discussing is an incident where we bear some personal injury. It doesn’t necessarily have to be physical; it could be mental and emotional distress caused by others.
Luckily, we have the law to protect us in such cases. If someone causes harm to you, you can file a lawsuit of personal injury and hold him responsible. The law is fair and listens to both sides in a trial before giving a verdict. That’s why it’s crucial to have an attorney to effectively convey your story to the judge. Here I’ve shared how you can find the right personal injury lawyer to represent your case if you ever find yourself in such a situation.
Focused Practice
A lawyer whose sole focus of practice is personal injury would know a lot more about your case than one who deals with all types of cases. A personal injury lawyer only takes cases of people who were harmed by someone or accused of harming someone. Fighting similar cases every day of their lives makes them a pro at what they do. That’s why an attorney with focused practice should be your top priority.
Proven Track Record
It goes without saying, you should hire only an experienced lawyer. A rookie might make things worse for you. An experienced lawyer would have a track record showing all his/her achievements. Don’t be shy to ask about the past performance of the lawyer who is about to represent you in front of the law. It’s your right and their duty to satisfy you.
Works on Contingency Fee
Confident and reliable lawyers mostly work on a contingency fee. It means they charge you only if they provide satisfactory results. You wouldn’t be charged a single penny if you lost the case. This makes many things easy for you and the lawyer would also take your case seriously. This also ensures that your lawyer won’t try to scam you.
Gets Referrals from Clients
Look for a lawyer or law agency like Emerson Straw that gets many of their new clients from their old clients. This shows how great of a service they offer. Word of mouth is the strongest marketing and people believe it because the only person who has experience of working with the lawyer can tell about his performance. You should ask people in your circle to refer you to an attorney.
Has the Necessary Resources
A lawyer doesn’t just go to trials with you; he also has to prepare the case. The preparation takes most of their time and resources. They even have to investigate the matter and conduct interviews of many people to find proof and build your case. A lawyer or law firm won’t be able to provide good service if they lack resources.
Getting Legal Help: What to Do About Slip and Fall Injuries
Did you slip and fall recently? It happens more often than you’d think.
Falls account for over 8 million hospital room visits each year. In fact, falls are the leading cause of hospital visits. Slip and falls, on the other hand, account for 1 million visits, or 12% of falls.
If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident, don’t wait around. Instead, get the help you need as soon as possible. Failing to take the right steps, on the other hand, could impact your chances of receiving fair compensation for your losses.
Here are the six steps to take after a slip and fall accident. With these tips, you can get the compensation you deserve after your fall.
1. Seek Medical Attention
Medical attention is critical to ensure your health and safety. It’s also an important component of your slip and fall lawsuit. If you’re hurt from a slip and fall, make sure to document your injuries.
Visit a doctor and have them assess your injuries. Then, make sure to keep a record of their findings.
The defense will try to dismiss your injuries. Having a doctor present for your case will prevent the defense from claiming you got your injuries another way.
2. Check the Scene
After a slip and fall accident, make sure to inspect the scene.
What caused your fall? Was there water on the floor, or an obstruction, such as a wire?
Immediately after your slip and fall accident, look around. Pinpoint the cause of your fall as soon as possible.
3. Take Photos
Don’t leave a jury to visualize the scene. Instead, take photos using your smartphone.
Take pictures of the area where you fell, the floor, and what you think caused the fall.
These photos will support your side of the story.
4. Identify Witnesses
Finding injuries can also benefit your slip and fall lawsuit. Did other customers see what happened? Make sure to gather their information after your fall.
Your attorney will follow up with these witnesses and ask them for a detailed statement in writing.
5. Make Official Reports
697 workers died in falls to a lower level in a single year. They can’t fight for themselves, but you can. After your accident, make sure to make an accident report.
Don’t embellish. Provide vital information about what happened. Having a complaint on file with the business can prove you took the accident seriously when it happened.
6. Speak With a Lawyer
The other side will want to pay you as little as possible. An insurance company could take what you say out of context. By working with a lawyer, you have someone on your side who will handle the negotiations.
An experienced slip and fall attorney can help build your claim, allowing you to maximize your recovery.
You can find out more here.
Don’t Slip Up: Get Legal Help After a Slip & Fall Accident
After a slip and fall accident, don’t just lie there! Instead, use these steps, then contact an experienced lawyer to take your case.
Explore the Personal Injury section of the blog today for more help.
How Trump’s tax law hurts personal injury lawsuit settlements?
If ever you need an example to explain the idiom ‘add insult to injury,’ then President Trump’s new tax plan, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, signed into law on December 22, 2017 takes the cake. The new tax plan hits at the very core of compensation for personal injuries from car accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice, and products liability cases by increasing the tax burden of the compensated people.
Since we are talking about examples let’s take an example to illustrate how insulting it is to an injured person who secures compensation for personal injuries suffered from various types of accidents.
If John Doe meets with an accident and gets injured he will be eligible for compensation based on a court verdict or settlement arrived at out of court. For instance, if John Doe secured a compensation of $2m ($0.5m as compensatory damages, $1.5m as punitive damages and legal fees of $0.6m) without any delay let’s see how this compensation is treated prior to and post Trump’s new tax plan.
Prior to the new tax plan John Doe’s compensatory damages would be tax-free but punitive damages would be taxed. Similarly, if there was a gap between the time of the order and payment of compensation, the notional interest earned thereon would be taxable. Further, any legal fee paid was deductible from gross compensation before arriving at the taxable compensation.
Thus, the amount subjected to taxation would be $0.9m ($1.5m – $0.6m), which is basically the punitive damages less legal fee, the compensatory damages being exempted from tax.
Now, with the new tax pan, John Doe would be subjected to the following changes.
Firstly, the compensatory damages would now require qualification in the form of bifurcation of damages into physical injuries such as broken bones, paralysis, and other permanent physical disabilities and non-physical injuries which could be emotional in nature such as mental suffering, mental disturbance, mental anguish and mental distress. Based on this bifurcation, only the compensatory damages related to physical injuries would be non-taxable and the non-physical injuries would be taxable.
Secondly, the legal fee paid would not be allowed as a deduction from gross compensation. This means that the compensated person would pay tax on the gross compensation.
The punitive damages and interest income would continue to be taxed as before.
Let’s see how these changes affect John Doe.
If in our example above, John Doe’s compensatory damages are bifurcated into physical injuries and non-physical injuries as $0.25m each, then as per the new plan the $1.75m compensation would be taxed as against $0.9m in the old plan. Besides the ignominy of paying higher taxes John Doe would have to justify classifying his injuries as physical injuries to enjoy non-taxable compensation.
Thus, John Doe will now bear higher tax burden, which is nothing but adding insult to injury.
Trump’s new tax plan is definitely a dampener for injured people as far as compensation is concerned quantitatively because of the higher tax burden. But more importantly, it is qualitatively burdensome because of implementation woes in regard to proving physical injuries and justifying payment of taxes even on the legal fees.
As the implementation of the new tax plan is fraught with danger of misunderstanding of the provisions of the Act, injured people should consult with a professional such as a Rockford car accident lawyer to iron out differences and hasten the process of receiving compensation by classifying injuries correctly.
Understanding Personal Injury: 10 Personal Injury Cases Examples
There are a variety of reasons you might need to hire a personal injury lawyer. Perhaps you have a legal situation and you’re not sure if you need one of these experts to guide you.
Well, the good news is that you’ve come to the right place by reading this article. Detailed below are ten common personal injury case examples you should be able to recognize.
You’re not alone in potentially needing a personal injury lawyer, by the way. Consider the following statistic regarding personal injury attorneys throughout the United States. It indicates that in the year 2019 alone, the industry generated $35 billion in revenue.
Keep reading to know if you need a personal injury lawyer for your upcoming court case. Doing so could make all of the difference in whether or not you win that case.
1. Workplace Accidents Are Common Personal Injury Case Examples
The first potential personal injury case to consider is that of a workplace accident. It’s an unfortunate truth that injuries happen while working quite often, especially at some more dangerous jobs. If you’re been injured while you were at work, it might be time to reach out to a personal injury lawyer.
2. Dangerous or Defective Products
It’s also possible to get injured because of a product you buy. Don’t worry, though. Consumers do have rights to certain compensation in these cases.
Perhaps you used a beauty product that had an irritating ingredient in it that gave you a severe rash. Maybe you bought a furniture item that was poorly manufactured and caused someone to get hurt. If something you bought caused any harm at all, reach out to a personal injury attorney soon.
3. Motor Vehicle Accidents
One of the most popular kinds of personal injury cases happens while driving. Motor vehicle accidents of any kind fall into this legal category. For more details about a specific example, check out this lawyer who specializes in motorcycle accidents.
4. Wrongful Death
Another version of a personal injury case has more dramatic consequences. A wrongful death happens as the result of some kind of accident, often while in the workplace. Connect with a legal expert in the personal injury field to determine whether you have an unfortunate wrongful death case in your own life.
5. Premises Liability
Imagine you’re invited to a corporate event at a local park or gathering place. While you’re enjoying yourself, a tree branch falls on you out of nowhere. It’s caused some serious injury to yourself or your loved ones, and now you have a hefty medical bill.
If something caused you any harm while you were on someone else’s property, the case might fall under the category of a premises liability. Talk to your personal injury lawyer to see if you’re entitled to compensation for this accident.
6. Animal Attacks
Similar to premises liability, don’t forget about the responsibility of an animal attack. If someone’s dog bites you without provocation, for instance, you could be entitled to some money to cover the medical bills and trauma.
Not all animal attacks are covered by this compensation, though. For example, if a police dog attacks you while you’re breaking the law, some states won’t offer any kind of compensation. It’ll be up to you, though, to do the research and know your local laws concerning animal attacks.
7. Nursing Home Neglect
If you’re elderly loved one has been the victim of abuse or neglect in a nursing home, you might have a personal injury case.
Be warned, though. You might have to gather evidence and proof of the neglect or harm if you want to win your case.
8. Food Poisoning
Another personal injury case that can be difficult to prove is that of food poisoning. Because food poisoning could be the result of anything you ate within the last 24 hours, a restaurant might not end up liable to provide compensation for their bad food. One good way to prove it was their fault, though, is to gather a bunch of different cases of food poisoning of the restaurant’s recent patrons.
9. Legal Malpractice
Sometimes, it’s possible for a lawyer you’ve hired to misrepresent you in court. As a result, you might have lost some serious compensation due to that lawyer’s negligence or ignorance.
For one thing, that’s why it’s so important to only hire a personal injury lawyer with a reliable reputation. In addition, be sure to do plenty of research to know what to expect as you go through the court system with that lawyer’s representation. That way, you can try to prevent the possibility that you’ll get taken advantage of by him or her.
10. Medical Malpractice
Finally, some patients of a medical professional could be entitled to compensation, such as after a harmful mistake is made during surgery. This could be a personal injury case if medical malpractice can be proven. Work with your personal injury lawyer to see if your case is one that could win in court.
Continue to Keep Yourself Well-Informed About Workplace Injury Case Examples
At this point in the article, you have a thorough understanding of common personal injury case examples. There’s no need to but corners when it comes to ensuring your legal rights are well-represented in a court case. That’s why you’ll take the above guidelines seriously.
Still, there are a lot of ins and outs to navigate when it comes to the country’s legal system. It can be in your best interest to work with expert professionals on the matter. In addition, continue to keep yourself well-informed of legal trends throughout the country.
In fact, that’s where this website can come into play. We prioritize bringing readers like you the latest and greatest trends in business and legal issues.
For that reason, we encourage you to browse through the rest of our website today.
4 Tips for Responding to a Low-Ball Personal Injury Settlement Offer
Following an incident that has caused you personal injury, you have to determine the extent and nature of your injuries and losses. The next step is you, or your attorney if you have sought legal advice, sending a demand letter to the at-fault party, their defense attorney or, more probably, their insurer. The insurance company, if they deem your claim justifiable, will then respond to your demand with an offer.
An insurer will always seek to protect its profitability. Therefore, insurance companies will pay the least amount they can get away with. Ergo, you can expect a low-ball settlement offer that falls short of truly meeting the direct and indirect costs you incur as a result of the injury. How you respond to this unreasonably low offer will be key in whether you’ll eventually receive fair compensation. Here’s a couple of tips on crafting an appropriate response.
1. Keep Calm and Evaluate the Offer
Personal injury, especially when severe, can be a cause of great mental anguish. So when you receive a low-ball offer, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and almost immediately fire an angry, emotional response. The offer appears almost insulting. On the other extreme, financial distress may compel you to accept the offer without a second thought.
To avoid making these kinds of expensive mistakes, stay calm. Thoughtfully evaluate the offer and maintain professionalism during this high stakes negotiation with the other party. Remember that the other party doesn’t expect you to accept the offer without challenge but rather, are setting the stage for negotiations.
2. Respond in Writing
The low-ball offer may be as a result of the lack of adequate information on your injury and other losses claimed. It’s likely that your initial demand letter accurately covered the timelines around the incident as well as the treatment and recovery plan thereafter. In that case, you don’t need to repeat this information in your response.
Instead, provide updated itemized medical bills and proof of income loss. Mention the emotional points, inability to enjoy your favorite hobbies and other subjective aspects of your injury.
3. Formulate the Counteroffer
If the offer you received is unreasonable, that’s likely because you already have a reasonable offer in mind. Don’t make the mistake of adopting street-like haggling tactics by responding to a low-ball offer with an unrealistically high counteroffer. That will not only make future negotiations very difficult but will have the other party assume that satisfying your expectations could be impossible.
Instead, compute your counteroffer by looking at limits and requirements of insurance coverage, the at-fault party’s assets and data on claims typically paid for similar incidents. You may think you deserve a $70,000 payout but based on your review of these factors, realize that a realistic counteroffer would be in the region of $40,000.
Of course, this initial counteroffer will probably be the first of several that you’ll do as part of your negotiation. The back-and-forth may feel a little tedious but it’s a part of the settlement process.
4. Don’t Settle Before You Have All Required Information
Not all information that relates to your injury and is relevant to your claim will be known or available on Day 1.
Do not accept a settlement offer if you don’t have a complete understanding of not just present costs but also the long-term financial repercussions of the injury. That includes your ability to work (and find work) and any new skills you’ll have to learn to improve your job prospects. Remember that once you accept the at-fault party’s offer and sign the release, there’s no going back to ask for more money or filing your personal injury lawsuit. It’s best that you consult a lawyer regarding whether to settle or try the case.
Apply these tips to ensure you do not accept a low-ball settlement offer when you could get so much more.
What Is Personal Injury Law?
An injury can cause one to lose the ability to work or even derail their life. An injury can take away what most people consider to be an important part of their lives, be it the two aforementioned things or even the ability to associate with their families or coworkers. That said, most personal injuries can be serious and when they happen, one can hire a personal injury lawyer Cleveland to adjudicate for damages on their behalf.
What Is Personal Injury Law?
In most countries, there exists a set of laws that are collectively known as personal injury law. These laws, also called tort laws, allow a person who has been injured to sue in a civil court and get damages in the form of monetary or other compensation for losses originating from an accident, injury or another incident.
The main purpose of the personal injury law system is to offer compensation to the injured party, to allow them to be compensated financially so that the carelessness or intentional conduct of a third party do not ruin their life. Personal injury settlements are formulated in such a way as to ensure the injured party’s life continues as it would have if they did not get injured, even with the cost and pain of the injury factored in.
Situations where personal injury laws and rules apply
Accidents are perhaps the most common situations in which personal injury laws come into play. The reason is that accidents more often than not stem from negligent actions that lead to harm to another person. Examples of these situations include car accidents and medical malpractice.
In certain situations, parties can be found guilty of injuries emanating from defective products. If a product fails, a personal injury lawsuit can be mounted on the basis of the defective product leading to an injury. Defamation lawsuits are not usually considered a personal injury. That said, various countries classify the harming of a person’s reputation as falli8ng under personal injury laws.
Origins of personal injury laws
For most countries, personal injury laws go all the way back to common law rules. These are laws that were formulated by judges as opposed to legislatures as it happens today. When judges rule on a personal injury suit, their ruling forms a binding precedent that other courts in that jurisdiction can use to settle similar cases. This applies mostly to higher courts passing down their precedents to lower courts. When lots of courts in the same jurisdiction apply the rulings of the first judge or higher courts, their collective rulings form “common law”.
Because of its ties to the different jurisdictions, it stems from, common law, and personal injury law, can differ from state to state or even across the country. If you need advice on how personal injury law is applied to your state or jurisdiction, getting in touch with AJK legal should get you the answers you need.
Finally, some legislatures debate and come up with their own personal injury laws through formal legislation and statutory law processes.
Fall Injury: What to Do When You’re Injured on Someone Else’s Property
Did you know that falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths? A fall injury is even more serious if you are elderly, as slips, trips, and falls are extremely dangerous for those who are older and have more brittle bones.
What happens if you fall on someone else’s property and are injured? Are they responsible for the fall? It’s important to understand, as you may want to speak with an attorney to determine if the property owner is at fault and if you are entitled to any sort of compensation.
Keep reading to learn more about what you should do if you are injured on someone else’s property.
Seek Medical Attention
If you fall and are injured, seek medical attention immediately, even if your injuries seem minor. What seems like a minor injury at first may turn in to something more serious later. Make sure you keep all of your medical records and any documentation from your doctor or the emergency room.
Take Pictures
This is the time to pull out your cell phone to take pictures of the area where the accident occurred. Try to do this immediately, as you want to take pictures of the conditions before any changes occur (e.g., if there was water on the floor, snow or ice that was not removed, other fall hazards, etc.).
You’ll want photos of the dangerous conditions that resulted in your fall before anyone has the chance to alter the area.
Get Names and Information of Witnesses
If there were witnesses to your fall, get their names and contact information, if possible. If you are hurt at a business, get the information for any employees who witnessed your fall as well. If you hire a personal injury lawyer, they will want to speak to these witnesses
Contact the Property Owner
Whether the fall happened at a business or on private property, it’s important to let the manager or owner know. If possible, have them sign a document acknowledging your injury, and make sure to keep this document.
Don’t Sign Anything
If the property owner or business owner asks you to sign something, do not do it, especially if you’re unsure of what you’re actually signing. In fact, once you retain an attorney, you should not communicate with the property or business owner at all. Let your attorney handle all communication.
Document Everything
Whether it’s medical expenses, photographs, any communication with the property owner or witnesses, document everything in writing. Keeping a paper trail will help your case should you end up in court.
Keep any receipts or invoices for expenses incurred as a result of the injury, including medical expenses, travel to see specialists, etc. If you miss work, document that as well, as you may be entitled to compensation for any expenses.
What To Do After a Fall Injury
If you have been the victim of a fall injury, especially if it happened on property owned by someone else, make sure you protect yourself by following these suggestions after the injury occurs. Don’t compromise any chance you have for compensation.
If you found this useful, be sure to explore some of our other posts.
