Injuries from falls land over eight million people in the hospital emergency room every year. If you’re one of them, do you know the right things to do to file your injury claim?
Suffering a slip and fall can be traumatic. Trying to contact a slip and fall lawyer, file a claim, and follow up can add onto an already stressful situation.
Be sure you’re making the right moves during a difficult time. Here are six slip and fall claim mistakes to avoid.
1. Leaving the Location
You’re injured, you’re in pain, you want to get help. However, it’s important that you don’t leave the location where the accident occurred.
The management of the establishment or your supervisor needs to be aware of the accident. All of the facts of the situation need to be addressed in order to support your slip and fall case.
2. Speak Casually
Sometimes, we want to put people at ease during a stressful situation. This could lead to you speaking casually, which can be misinterpreted.
Saying that you feel fine can make it seem like you’re not really injured, or getting angry or frustrated with any questions you’re asked can cause you to speak out of turn. Be assertive and honest in this situation and don’t try to speak without thinking.
3. Settling Without an Attorney
The at-fault party will want to settle a valid claim as quickly as possible. Often times, the injured party won’t know the true extent of injuries or what they’re owed until later.
Reach out to a slip and fall lawyer, like dlelawyers.com, before making any big decisions. You deserve to get everything you’re owed.
4. Talking About Pre-Existing Conditions
If you mention a previous injury or medical condition, a claims adjuster can use that information to diminish your injuries. They might say that your current injuries are related to prior conditions.
Don’t discuss pre-exisiting conditions with the adjuster. Mention them to your doctor to figure out how your new injuries are affecting your previous ones.
5. Not Following Doctor’s Orders
After an injury, a doctor can make you feel better. However, going to every appointment can become draining and time-consuming.
You have to follow doctor’s orders to the letter. Failing to do so can make it appear like you don’t take your injuries seriously, or that there weren’t any injuries to begin with.
6. Missing Evidence
During the claim filing process, you’ll need to provide evidence to strengthen your case. You have to prove the location knew of an unsafe condition and failed to fix things.
Make sure you gather witness statements, photos of the scene, surveillance videos and more. Don’t forget to meet the claim filing deadline and submit all of your findings on time.
Avoid Slip and Fall Claim Mistakes
These are just six slip and fall claim mistakes you can make during a difficult time. Even if you’ve made one or two, you can still avoid making any more with this information.
Need more guidance while filing a claim? Check out our other law articles and stay informed.
