What to Do after a Slip & Fall: 7 Ways to Protect Yourself & Your Claim

A slip and fall accident can leave you with serious injuries – and questions about your rights to financial recovery. While you never expect to slip and fall in the course of daily life, knowing what to do after one of these accidents happens can help you take the right steps to protect yourself, as well as your possible claim.

Accordingly, here are the steps to take after a slip and fall happens (as long as you are not too badly injured):

1. Take a moment to assess your injuries – Did you hit your head or sustain a neck or back injury? If these or other serious injuries were sustained, ask someone to call 911, and wait for an EMT to assist you. If not, continue with the following steps…
2. Report the accident to the authority on the premises – The authority can be a store or building manager, a landlord, the building owner or whoever is the party responsible for overseeing the site. Depending on where the slip and fall happens, this report could mean that an investigation and/or associated report for the accident will be completed.
3. Take pictures of the accident scene – Photograph the floor and surrounding features. Do this before leaving the scene because the features that contributed to your slip and fall may be fixed or changed in the hours or days following your accident.
4. See a doctor – Get your injuries checked out and treated as soon as possible. This can prevent further health complications while also creating an official doctor’s report detailing the scope of the injuries you suffered as a result of the accident.
5. Create a detailed account of what happened – Write down or speak and record your version of the events related to the accident. Explain the scene and what you were doing prior to the slip and fall. Also, be sure to include details regarding:
   • The precise date, time and location of the accident
   • What occurred during the accident
   • What happened immediately following the accident.
6. Keep everything – Keep the clothes and shoes you were wearing during the accident. Also retain any and all information related to the accident, like (but not necessarily limited to):
   • Letters and other documents from insurance companies
   • A copy of the accident report from the site (if available or possible)
   • Diagnostic reports and treatment directives from doctors.
7. Contact a lawyer – An attorney can explain your rights and options for recovery while getting your claim started. A lawyer can also help you protect and advocate your rights throughout the claims process, allowing you to concentrate on your physical and emotional recovery.

Contact a Middlesex County Personal Injury Lawyer at Mayo Law, P.A

If you or someone you love has been harmed in a slip and fall or any type of accident on another’s property, contact a Middlesex County personal injury lawyer at Mayo Law, P.A. for more information about your options for financial recovery and justice.

Call (732) 613-3100 or (888) MAYO-LAW or email our firm to find out more about our services and how we can help you. Initial consultations are free, and we do not charge any legal fees until or unless compensation is secured for your claim.

Known for providing superior representation for various personal injury matters, our lawyers have the insight and experience you can count on to bring your case to a successful resolution.

From offices based in Middlesex County, our attorneys provide the highest quality legal services to people through New Jersey, as well as nationwide.