Personal Injury Law

What to Document in Slip and Fall Injuries

By Flaxman & Lopez

If you have been in a slip and fall accident, you will want to start documenting the accident as soon as you are able to do so. Taking note of the details of your accident and noting the details are of your injury as well as the conditions of your accident are crucial in helping your attorney seek a settlement on your behalf if you decide to seek legal action. Seeking proof of your injury and the conditions that cause it can also be important when filing an insurance claim. It is especially important if you have sustained a serious injury, such as a broken bone, head injury, or other serious injury as a result of your fault. Among the things you will want documents are:

1) Weather conditions at the time of your accident. Weather conditions are rapidly changing. As soon as possible after accident, detail exactly what the weather conditions were like. Whether the conditions were slippery, icy, rainy, or clear can have a profound impact on your case.

2) Details about what you were wearing. Note what you were wearing on your feet as well as the clothing you were wearing on the day of your accident. If possible, put these items aside for examination. The tread on your shoes, the fit of your clothes, and whether your clothes loose or tight-fitting can be important clues in determining how the accident happened. Also, make sure that your note whether you wear glasses or contact lenses and whether you were wearing your contact lenses or glasses at the time of the accident. These are all clues and can impact your case.

3) Medical history. If you have a history of falling, dizziness, or taking any medications that make you dizzy, these are important clues and important information you must share with your personal attorney if you are pursuing a slip and fall case. These details can affect your case.

4) What you slipped or tripped on. If possible, take a photograph of the area where you slipped. Is there an uneven area in the area where you were walking? Is there an obvious obstruction which could have caused your fault? When you did fall, note where you landed. Did you land on a hard surface or on a grassy area? If possible, take a photograph of where you fell as well as what you may have slipped or tripped on.

5) Any witnesses to your accident. If there are any witnesses to your accident, including good Samaritans who helped you, consider securing their names and contact information at the scene of your accident. These witnesses can be important in helping your attorney establish what happened during your accident.

6) Any reports or documentation of your injury. If you filed an accident report with the police or the owner of the property, your attorney will want to know about this. This report will also add documentation towards your case.

Full post as published by Florida Injury Lawyer Blog on April 20, 2010 (boomark / email).