Thousands of people slip and fall each day, and for a portion of these individuals, their accident occurs when they are shopping or running errands. This is especially true in the winter months in Minnesota because snow and ice can get tracked inside and lead to some slick spots near the entryway.
For some people, they only suffer a little embarrassment as a result of the fall, but for others, they suffer significant head injuries or fractures, and it’s important to remember that you may be eligible for compensation if you are injured as a result of a slip and fall at a store or business. In today’s blog, we explain what steps you should take if you are injured after a fall in a store, and how a lawyer can help you get compensation for your injuries.
Steps To Take After A Slip And Fall At A Store
If you slip and fall at a store while you’re running errands or doing some shopping, don’t just try to brush yourself off and hurry out of the store hoping nobody saw you, especially if you’re in real pain or suspect you suffered an injury. If you are going to file a compensation claim, there are some steps you need to take right now to position yourself so that you can win an award. If you don’t follow these steps, it will be much harder to earn a successful claim. And always remember, this is why a business has insurance. Don’t feel like you’re causing problems by filing a claim because you suffered an injury on their property, because this is exactly what insurance is designed to protect a business against.
With that in mind, if you slip and fall at a store, here’s what you should do next:
Report The Accident – Depending on the severity of your injuries, you’ll either want to do this step or the next step first. If you don’t need emergency medical assistance, take a moment to gather yourself and then report the incident to an employee or management. If you wait to report your accident until days later, the store may claim that your accident happened elsewhere. Before you leave the store, make sure a manager is aware of the incident.
Seek Medical Attention – You’ll also want to seek medical care shortly after the incident. Not only does this help to document that you do in fact have injuries, but it also creates a medical record of the extent of your injuries. This also helps to showcase that the slip and fall was the cause of your injuries and not an off-site accident.
Preserve Evidence – If there is evidence that can back up your claims, try to document it as best as possible. Take pictures of tripping or slipping hazards, and if the store has the accident on video, have them save the recording. Take pictures or get witness contact information – anything that can help you make your case.
Write Down Your Story – When you have a moment at the medical center or when you’re back at home, write down your version of events. You’ll want to ensure your memory of the event is as clear as possible, and sometimes our recollection can fail us as time goes on. Write in detail what happened, what was injured and who you spoke to.
Reach Out To A Lawyer – Finally, if you are considering seeking compensation for your injuries, make sure you reach out to a personal injury lawyer like Dean Margolis. The business’s insurance company will certainly have professionals in their corner working to minimize their liability and lower your payout, so you need to have an expert in your corner fighting for your rights. Let Dean and his team gather evidence and put forth a strong claim that will get you every penny you deserve after a slip and fall in a store.
So if you slipped and fell at a store while you were out and about, know that the business has a duty to protect their customers, and if they failed that obligation, you may have rights to compensation. Even if they didn’t intend to cause an injury to a guest on their property, they may still be liable if it was preventable or caused by negligence. For more information about slip and fall claims, or for help with your injury claim, reach out to the Margolis Law Office today at (952) 230-2700.
