The Safety of Customers Should Always Come First
A slip and fall accident can be an emotionally and physically traumatic experience for the victim. Once the shock has subsided, it’s important that you take all necessary precautions to protect yourself for the future. The following checklist will help you understand what to do in the immediate aftermath of an accident, both at the scene and afterwards.
#1 – Inspect Surrounding Area
It’s likely that your slip and fall accident happened for a reason that was no fault of your own. Before leaving the scene, take a look around for the cause. This might include spilled liquid, loose carpet, uneven concrete, or any other disruption to your footing that should not be there. Write down your version of the fall as soon as possible; a present impression of what occurred may be valuable evidence in court, or at the very least help your attorney on how to handle the potential lawsuit.#2 – Identify Witnesses
Speak to anyone in the vicinity where the slip and fall occurred. Make sure to write down their names, addresses, and phone numbers before leaving the scene. Even if someone did not see the actual fall, he or she could, if necessary, describe what the scene looked like including the conditions of the floor, lighting, or any other factors that may have affected the accident.#3 – Take Photos
If possible, use your cell phone to take pictures of the obstacle that caused your fall and the surrounding areas. It’s likely that the hazard will be removed soon after you leave the facility and pictures may also help capture areas where a sign or notice of the dangerous condition should have been, so taking pictures directly following the accident will help strengthen your potential case.#4 – Obtain an Incident Report
If the incident occurred in a store or place of business, then you will need to fill out a slip and fall incident report and notify a manager. Do not make an effort to talk through the accident with store management or resolve it yourself, but make sure the store is aware that the accident happened and you’re injured as a result. If possible, make sure you receive a copy of the accident report and get the contact information of the employee that assisted you.How to Write a Slip and Fall Accident Report
When you start writing your slip and fall accident report, you want to be as detailed and thorough as possible. Having the assistance of a slip and fall attorney can be helpful to make sure you don’t miss any critical points. A slip and fall accident report includes information such as dates, description of the accident, injuries, times, names, witnesses information, and other key factors of your case. 1. Get all the facts – As you prepare to write your slip and fall report, make sure you have the right information to include:- Date, time, and location of the incident
- Names of everyone involved, including witnesses
- Events that led up to the incident
- Environmental conditions
- Circumstances
- Specific injuries
- Damage to equipment or area
- Primarily, a spill on the floor
- Secondarily, something blocked your vision
- Other factors, circumstances happening during the incident
- The details of the incident
- Your injuries
- How a property owner’s negligence resulted in your fall