When you meet with a slip and fall accident, none expects you to become a lawyer. Even if you consult a Covington personal injury lawyer will inform you that playing the part of a lawyer will negatively affect your case. Nevertheless, you can take different preventive steps after meeting with a sudden accident. As and when you get to know these steps, you can boost the chances of obtaining an appropriate settlement with the insurance company.
Here are the steps to take in order to boost your chances of receiving the compensation that you ought to get for your injuries.
- Get medical attention
If you have sustained injuries after a slip and fall accident, the foremost step you need to take is to get yourself medically checked. Meet a doctor if you think the injuries you sustained are severe or you feel badly hurt. However, it is a vital step that you set up an appointment with a doctor as this helps in maintaining your injury and treatment documents, that may be used during claiming compensation. Moreover, there are some injuries that worsen with days and which can get serious.
- Click pictures of the accident spot
In order to make sure your claim is 100% legal, you should click photographs of the accident spot. What was the reason behind your fall? Was the floor cracked or was there some kind of spilled liquid on the staircase? It is often a smart idea to get back to the scene of the accident the next day immediately before the property owner repairs the reason for the fall. You can cross-check things if needed.
- Make a report of the incident
Just as you have to keep a record of your injuries, you should also prove that you had a slip and fall accident. There will be many inadvertent owners who’ll try to deny the occurrence of the accident. Try and keep a photo or recorded proof of the incident immediately after the accident as this will, later on, be the only evidence. Hand over a copy of this report to your attorney.
- Protect the evidence
It is always a wise decision to retain all types of evidence like accident reports, statements from witnesses, pictures of the injury, medical bills, and proof of lost wages. Get a grip on the store videotapes so that you can produce them as the main proof whenever needed.
- Don’t post on the social media
It is not advisable to speak about your injuries and accident to anyone apart from your attorney. This means you should never discuss anything on social media. Lawyers and insurance people keep searching on social networking sites to find out whether you cited anything inappropriate about the fall. Also, make sure you never sign on documents without asking your attorney.
Even after following the above-listed steps, if you still want to get assistance from some professional, you should hire an experienced personal injury lawyer. He will advise you on the steps to take and negotiate with your insurance company on your behalf.
