5 Steps to Take When Dealing with a Slip and Fall on Someone Else’s Property

Slip and fall accidents may sound insignificant, but a serious fall due to an obstruction or negligent caretaking can have lasting repercussions. Medical expenses may be high, and the injury could even require you to take time off work, costing you valuable wages. If you slip and fall on someone else’s property and you are seriously injured, it is important to remember the steps to take so you are not disadvantaged in the weeks or months to follow. 

A Cedar Rapids personal-injury lawyer can evaluate your case and apply local legal insight to offer an assessment regarding the best way to proceed. At Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC, we have more than 75 years of combined experience practicing law, and we will use our expertise to analyze your case and determine if you have a legitimate claim. Call us today at 319-393-1020 to schedule an appointment to discuss your situation, and read on for five steps to take if you slip and fall on someone else’s property.

1. Visit a Doctor

You may be tempted to wait and see how serious your injuries are, but experts at the United States Department of Labor suggest that slips and trips can be serious, and they can even be fatal. Research claims that slips and falls cause 15 percent of all accidental deaths in America.

2. Gather Evidence

It is important that you gather as much information about the location where you fell as possible. Photographs are particularly important, and they can make the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful claim. Take photographs of the obstacle or hazard that caused you to fall before anyone interferes with the scene. 

According to the National Floor Safety Institute, 85 percent of worker’s compensation claims are from employees who slip on slick floors. While this may not be easy to photograph, it is still important to record the location in the form of a photograph for future investigations.

3. Find Witnesses

If you fell in a public place, there is a good chance someone witnessed your fall. Get the contact details of any witnesses, including names and addresses, and ask them for any additional information that you might have missed.

4. File a Report

It is important that you record your fall with managers, supervisors or security officers if the fall happened on commercial property. If any emergency officials or police attended to the scene, get a report from them as well.

5. Keep All Medical Records

Keep all medical bills and records. You may be eligible for compensation for these injuries, and it will be easier to claim if you have all of the necessary medical paperwork.

If you slip and fall on someone else’s property, give a qualified Cedar Rapids accident attorney a call. At Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC, we will evaluate your claim and establish if it can stand up in court. Call us today at 319-393-1020 to schedule a free consultation.