While shopping in a Florida-based business recently, you slipped and almost fell. If you had taken a tumble and hurt yourself, would you know what to do next?
Chron lays out the steps to take after slipping and falling on a business owner’s property. Ensure that you know how to protect your right to receive compensation for a personal injury.
Get medical assistance
Even if you do not seem injured after falling, have a medical professional examine you, anyway. You could have delayed symptoms that may not appear until several days or weeks later, which may complicate your right to compensation and cast suspicion on your injury claim for insurance companies.
Survey the site
If you do not need immediate medical attention, inspect the site of your fall. Did poorly maintained flooring or carpeting lead to your harm? Rain and snow tracked inside a business may cause slippery floors, which a business owner could bear responsibility for. Even if a specific shopkeeper does not bear direct responsibility for addressing slippery conditions, the building owner or a similar party may.
Complete an incident report
After hurting yourself, the business owner may want you to help create an incident report that breaks down what happened. Reports often include information such as the victim’s contact information, circumstances that lead to the fall and witness statements. Businesses may use incident reports to sidestep negligence, but you may use them to support your personal injury claim. Try to get a copy of the report for your insurance claim.
Knowing how to navigate a slip-and-fall accident may save time and money. Hopefully, you never experience harm because of another’s negligence.