Have you recently suffered a nasty slip and fall injury? We know you have and that is why you’re here. These are accidents that can leave people with a terrible case of emotional, physical, and financial distress. One of the biggest problems of these incidents is the element of surprise that comes with it. This means that whoever suffers the consequences of a slip and fall, doesn’t really see it happening the seconds before it does. There is no warning and this essence of surprise causes the impact to be more traumatic and painful.
The truth is that nobody can prepare us to endure the uneventful ramifications of these accidents. Above all, these injuries will require sufficient medical assistance to ensure that you are able to get back to an optimal set of health. However, just like anything else in life, medical care is not free. Not everybody enjoys the privilege of substantial health coverage and in order to get treated, victims resort to immediate treatment despite the costs. The problem, however, is when the medical bills begin to build up.
There is nothing more stressful than dealing with physical pain proceeding to see some skyrocketing medical bills. It will affect your state of mind and deeply worsen your financial crisis. It doesn’t have to be that way though, and we are sure that you want to know why. The reason for this is because a slip and fall accident is the epitome of negligent care from responsible parties. Slip and fall personal injuries occur in places where those have ownership of the residence or establishment. When a fall does occur, it means that a dangerous condition overlooked or ignored by the responsible party precipitated the victim’s accident.
As a result, the instant that you fall on the ground you will be automatically considered to be a victim of someone else’s negligence. Due to that, you are entitled to receive compensation for your injuries. That said compensation will cover things like your medical and any pain and suffering endured throughout the time of your accident and recovery period. As a victim, you are entitled to file an injury claim against the party at fault in order to receive an owed settlement. However, this legal venture is not one for the faint-hearted.
Truth be told that it is filled with complex legal issues that can only be overcome with the help of a slip and fall law firm in Florida. With this set of legal expertise, you will gain the upper hand when seeking the reparations you need. For that reason, we urge you to join us throughout this detailed account. We shall talk about what to do at the accident scene, how to file an injury claim, and how a Florida law firm can help you do it. Let’s get started!
What To Do At The Accident Scene
The first thing you will want to do at the accident scene is to immediately call for medical assistance. Even if you believe that your injuries are not serious it is vital to get checked up. Remember, your health is above everything else. From a legal standpoint, having a medical check-up of the incident under your belt is crucial when you begin to file your claim.
Oftentimes, people are not aware that if they do not seek medical attention in a maximum time frame of 14 days after the first day of the accident, they will not be eligible to receive compensation. Next up, gather your strength and demand that the owner of the establishment/residence fills out an accident report. This piece of paper will have your contact information and it is supposed to detail the events that led to your accident.
Once that is filled out, immediately turn your attention to the area where you suffered your trip and fall accident. You must examine the area carefully so that you can pinpoint exactly what caused your accident. When you identify it, proceed to take pictures of it and your injuries. These will contribute to evidence for your injury claim down the road. Most of the times the following hazardous cause slip and fall accidents:
- Wet and slippery floors,
- Broken tiles,
- Broken roofing,
- Poor lighting,
- Lack of warning signs,
- Debris on the floor such as cables or trash.
Once you take photographs of any of the possible hazards, we believe that it is important to try to write down or record any eyewitness accounts that can factually corroborate your accident. Furthermore, if you believe that your suffering accident was triggered by a more than obvious force of negligence you can even call the police so that they can write a separate accident report. However, that is at your discretion.
How To Prove Fault in Florida?
Doing this is pretty straightforward but complex to do hence why you will need the help of a competent South Florida injury attorney. To gather liability your lawyer will have to prove that the owner of the residence or public establishment had indeed prior knowledge of the hazardous condition’s existence within the premises.
However, the fault relies on the fact that he or she decided to either not correct it, leave it as is, or failed to warn about it to unsuspecting customers or bystanders. If these are proven your owed settlement will be established.
How To File A Personal Injury Accident Claim With The Help Of A Lawyer
In your initial consultation with a slip and fall attorney, your questions will be answered. To begin, you will be informed that these lawyers operate on contingency fees. This means that if you decide to proceed with the injury claim, you will not be charged a single dime unless you actually win the case.
We believe that this is crucial because you will not have an added set of financial stress. Quite the contrary, you will be able to effectively recuperate from your injuries while your injury attorney works to protect your rights. Moving forward, your lawyer will design a legal map of what needs to be done in order to attain your compensation. For starters, injury attorneys have the ability to assess your damages and giving monetary value to them. These includes:
- Pain and suffering,
- Medical bills,
- Loss of income,
- Out of pocket costs.
The above-mentioned will increase the amount of your settlement and will fortify your overall injury claim in the future. Once that is set in motion, your injury attorney will have the ability to initiate a thorough investigation of the facts that led to your accident. He or she will add even more substantial evidence to your case by questioning those responsible. Once these things are delivered, your injury attorney will help you file all of the pertinent paperwork for your claim. These include meeting deadlines, contact information, and personal accounts of the accident.
At that moment, your lawyer will then formally inform the party at fault that you have decided to file a formal injury claim. During the process, if there isn’t an agreement set in place and the party at fault denies reaching a settlement you are entitled to take your case to court. Be advised that once these cases do arrive in the courtroom victims are more likely to be successful because judges and jurors tend to side with the victim.
Get Represented As Soon As Possible!
The following information has been brought to you by the Law Offices of Scott J. Senft. We are a medium-sized law firm that focuses on delivering concrete results to our clients. The main takeaway from our article is knowing that the best way to attain the compensation you deserve.
Because of our complication system, you, unfortunately, will not have the ability to gain these mentioned advantages that will protect your rights on your own. Thankfully, Scott and his team have dealt with these same cases for many years. Their track record exemplifies their desire to provide a service to their community in South Florida. So, what are you waiting for? Pick up the phone and call them now!