What Steps Need to Be Taken After a Slip and Fall Accident?

With New York’s high levels of snow and ice over the winter months, slips and falls are particularly common. Even in the summer months, a wide range of additional hazards may cause plaintiffs to fall in grocery stores, pet stores, hardware stores, restaurants, and a range of other establishments. Even a sidewalk or pathway with excessive cracks can cause people to lose their footing and suffer serious injuries. If you have experienced this type of situation firsthand, you are already aware of just how serious these injuries can be. What steps should you take after an accident of this nature?

Get the Medical Treatment You Need

Perhaps the most important step after a slip and fall accident is to prioritize your health. Many slips and falls lead to serious injuries that may affect you for the rest of your life. One example is a concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or skull fracture. These injuries typically occur when a plaintiff falls backward and strikes the back of their head on the floor.

It is important to note that the true severity of head injuries may not be clear until they are assessed by qualified doctors. You may assume that you have only suffered a light concussion, but there may be much more serious health consequences that you must address as soon as possible. Some injuries, such as brain bleeds, can become progressively worse in the weeks after an accident. In some cases, patients have suddenly died from these issues with no warning whatsoever.

Another common injury after a fall is a hip fracture, and this is particularly common among elderly individuals. Our bones become more brittle with age, and this can dramatically increase the chance of a fracture. Fractures of this nature can occur after even light falls. Unfortunately, a hip fracture has the potential to rob a senior of their mobility for the rest of their life. They may be confined to a hospital bed or wheelchair for the foreseeable future. An even worse outcome involves infection, which can easily prove fatal. This is yet another reason to seek medical attention as soon as possible after a fall.

Quick, effective medical treatment allows you to gain a better understanding of your injury and take the necessary steps to prevent further issues. Furthermore, it can provide you with the necessary evidence to establish the existence and severity of your injuries. Without medical treatment, your medical history will show no record of your injuries ever occurring. Defendants and insurers may use this to avoid providing you with compensation. They may argue that the injuries never occurred – or that they were not serious enough to warrant medical treatment.

While it always makes sense to save money on medical treatments when possible, you may encounter even worse financial outcomes if you avoid seeing a doctor after a slip and fall. If your medical records show that you received treatment for your injuries, you can have these treatments covered via a personal injury lawsuit.

Gather Documentation

Along with your medical records, there are other forms of evidence that you might want to gather. These include evidence of your earning history – including pay stubs and tax returns. This evidence will help you receive compensation for any missed wages you experienced as a result of your accident. You might also attempt to gather surveillance footage from the premises. This might show the complete lack of effort to clean up a spill, for example. Much of this evidence is easier to obtain with help from a lawyer.

Contact an Attorney to Negotiate for a Settlement

Finally, it may be necessary to negotiate for a settlement with defendants and their insurers. Your personal injury attorney can represent you at the negotiating table and push for a settlement that fully reflects your total damages. You will want to have a qualified slip and fall attorney negotiating on your behalf. These attorneys have been dealing with insurance companies for years. They know how to get you the most compensation to cover your medical expenses.                                              

Get in Touch With a Qualified New York Slip and Fall Lawyer

Perhaps the most important step after a slip and fall accident is to book a consultation with a qualified injury lawyer in New York. At David Resnick & Associates, P.C. we offer a free consultation. In other words, you can discuss your unique situation without risking a dime. From there, you may receive targeted guidance on how to proceed. If a personal injury lawsuit is the most appropriate course of action, you will receive assistance from your lawyer when taking your next steps. Book your consultation today to get started.

Related Links:

• Fight the Rise in Deadly Slips and Falls Among the Elderly
• Why You Might Have a Headache After a Slip and Fall Accident
• Who’s Responsible in a New York City Slip and Fall?

Author: David Resnick

Founder of David Resnick & Associates, P.C., a New York personal injury law firm in charge of providing exceptional and personal service to each of our clients in various areas including car accidents, slip and fall, wrongful death, construction accidents, and premises liability. David Resnick founded the firm in 1998 after working in large law firms where he saw a need for greater client communication and more personal care.