What To Do If You Slip And Fall On Someone Else’s Property
Slip and fall injuries are one of the leading causes of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in New York. Older adults are especially vulnerable to slip and fall accidents – owing to impaired vision and gait and balance related problems.
Under New York law, the owner or possessor of a property has a duty to provide a reasonably safe environment to those who visit the property. If they fail to do so, and if you are injured as a result, you have the right to sue them and recover monetary damages.
In this post, let’s take a look at five key steps you need to take after a slip and fall accident on someone’s property.
1. Document the Accident Scene
The first thing you need to do is to find out what caused the accident and take pictures of it. Whether it is a puddle of water, a missing tile, broken steps in a staircase, missing guardrails, loose floorboard, or a pothole, make sure you take lots of pictures of it.
Apart from this, you should also take pictures of your injuries, the exact spot where the accident happened, and the surrounding area. If possible, try to get photos that show an exact street address so there is no question as to where it was. The more pictures you take, the easier it would be to prove that the accident was caused by the defective condition on the property.
2. File an Incident Report
File an incident report with the appropriate party and make sure you get a copy of it.
3. Gather Information from Eyewitnesses
Find out if anyone witnessed the accident and get their name, address, and phone number. Statements or testimonies from eyewitnesses can bolster your claim against the at-fault party to a great extent. Also be sure to look around to see if there are any video cameras or camera doorbells in the area.
4. Get Medical Help
Following a slip and fall accident, you should get medical help as soon as possible – regardless of whether you are visibly injured or in pain. Any delay in getting medical help can prove to be a costly mistake for two reasons.
First, failing to get medical attention in a timely manner can make your injuries worse. It can be dangerous – particularly if you suffer a traumatic brain injury or an injury to an internal organ.
Secondly, if you fail to get medical help right away, the insurance company might claim that your injuries are not serious or that you failed to mitigate the damages in order to get more compensation. Either way, it can be extremely hard for you to get the compensation you deserve.
Our Highly Accomplished Slip and Fall Injury Lawyers Are Ready to Help You
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, the slip and fall accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael S. Lamonsoff can help you. We have over 100 years of combined experience in handling slip and fall claims and have recovered more than $500 million in settlements and jury awards for our clients.
Led by Michael S. Lamonsoff – whose no-holds-barred approach towards personal injury claims has earned him the nickname ‘The Bull’ – our team can get results that no other firm can.
Call us today at 212-962-1020 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our seasoned New York slip and fall accident attorneys.