How to Document Your Slip & Fall Case

Slip and Fall Attorneys in Sarasota & Bradenton

If you have suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident, you may be able to file a claim against the property owner or tenant to recover your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. But, in order to maximize your claim for compensation, there are important steps you should take after your fall. These steps are discussed in detail below.

Keep in mind, even if you fail to take some of these steps, you can still seek financial compensation. If the facts are on your side, Jodat Law Group will be able to help you pursue your claim. To find out if you have a case, call us at (877) JODAT LAW now.

Steps to Take After Suffering Slip & Fall Injuries

Seeking Medical Attention and Recovering from Your Injuries
After any accident, your health should always be your top priority. Never compromise your health or safety in order to try to document what happened. You should:

1. See a doctor right away. Be sure to explain what happened so that your doctor can provide a thorough diagnosis and identify the cause of your injuries in your medical file.
2. Follow your doctor’s advice. This is important not only for your recovery, but for your personal injury claim as well. If the property owner or their insurance company can argue that you made your condition worse by failing to follow your doctor’s advice, this may harm your claim for compensation.

Collecting Key Evidence for Your Lawsuit or Insurance Claim
If you are physically able, you will want to collect as much evidence as possible at the scene of your slip and fall accident. You should:

1. Take photos of everything. You should photograph your clothes, your injuries, the dangerous condition that caused you to slip and fall, and the general location of your accident. You can never have too many photos.
2. Report your slip and fall to the property owner, landlord, or store manager. Most offices, stores, and restaurants will have an accident report they want you to fill out, and this can be important evidence in your case. Reporting the accident will also help establish the time and location of your fall.
3. Talk to any witnesses. If someone saw or heard you fall, or if someone came to assist you, this person could be a key witness in your claim for compensation. Be sure to collect as many potential witnesses’ names, telephone numbers, and email addresses as possible.

Preserving Other Key Evidence
Once you are at home or in the hospital, there are still important steps to take to preserve key evidence of your slip and fall accident. You should:

1. Keep your damaged clothes and personal items. Your stained and damaged clothes can provide powerful imagery when presenting your case to a judge or jury. Likewise, if your phone cracked, your watch broke, or you suffered damage to any other piece of personal property, this will be important evidence as well. Be sure to keep everything you had with you at the time of the accident in a safe location.
2. Write down everything you remember. Over the course of your claim, your memory may start to fade. In addition, as you hear other people’s versions of events, it is possible that you will start to get fuzzy about what actually happened. To help refresh your recollection when it’s time to testify, you should write down everything you remember about your fall as soon as possible.
3. Get in the habit of collecting documents. Any document relating to your fall could be important evidence to help you win just compensation. Be sure to keep copies of the accident report, your medical records, and any other documents or receipts you can get your hands on.

Protecting Your Legal Rights and Your Claim for Compensation
Finally, documenting your slip and fall case also involves not creating evidence that could work against you. You should:

1. Avoid talking to the insurance companies. Insurance adjusters and their lawyers will try to get you to say things that will hurt your case. Do not talk to them!
2. Stay off of social media. What seem like innocent posts to you may seem like key evidence to the other side. To play it safe, you should avoid posting photos or discussing your accident on social media.
3. Hire an experienced personal injury lawyer right away. In most cases, the sooner you act, the better your chances of obtaining a quick settlement for maximum compensation. When you contact one of our attorneys, we will walk you through all of the steps for protecting your legal rights.

IMPORTANT: What to Do if Your Slip & Fall Accident Happened at Work

It is important to note that some of these steps may be slightly different if your accident occurred at work. For example, under Florida law, you may be required to see a physician that has been pre-approved by your employer. If you see your own doctor, your medical bills may not be covered by workers’ compensation. Again, when you contact us, we can tell you exactly what you need to do.

To Get Help with Your Slip & Fall Accident, Contact Jodat Law Group Today

With offices in Bradenton, Sarasota, Tampa, and Venice, Jodat Law Group represents slip and fall injury victims throughout the greater Tampa-St. Petersburg area. To speak with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys about your case, schedule your free consultation now.