Slip-and-fall incidents can seriously disrupt an otherwise normal day. People running errands after work don’t usually expect to get hurt. After all, businesses and property owners have a legal obligation to maintain relatively safe facilities.
Understaffing, deferred maintenance and a host of other issues could lead to preventable slip-and-fall incidents at businesses. People who fall may want to perform the three steps outlined below to protect the right to seek compensation if they have significant losses.
1. Document the cause of the incident
Slip-and-falls often occur due to identifiable hazards. Perhaps peeling linoleum led to someone tripping. Maybe dripping water coming from a damaged refrigeration unit caused someone to fall. Recording video footage or taking pictures of the hazards that caused the slip-and-fall incident can help prove that negligence is the underlying cause of the person’s injuries later.
2. Report the fall to management
Instead of leaving immediately or trying to continue shopping, people who slip and fall typically need to communicate with the manager on duty at the business. By advising them of the incident, the injured party helps ensure that the company has internal records affirming that the incident occurred.
3. Make time to see a doctor
The more abrupt the fall was, the greater the chances of serious injuries. Broken bones, soft tissue injuries and even brain injuries may not be immediately noticeable after a slip-and-fall. People often need to see a doctor to diagnose their injuries and establish a connection between the incident and their medical challenges.
With the right response to a slip-and-fall injury, an injured person may have grounds for a premises liability lawsuit. Holding property owners and businesses accountable can compensate people for lost wages, medical costs and property damage expenses.