What to Do After a Slip and Fall Injury

When is the last time you fell down? Most adults are lucky enough to have the balance and strength to stay upright and off the ground. Unfortunately, certain floor or ground conditions can cause the perfect environment for a slip and fall. When a fall happens, it can feel embarrassing more than painful at first. However, slip and fall accidents can cause serious and long-lasting injuries or even death.

Over 9 million people in the United States went to the emergency room due to a fall-related accident in 2016. These falls happened nearly everywhere: construction sites, homes, workplaces, and throughout the community. In each instance, the fall could have been prevented.

If you have been involved with a slip and fall injury at work or on another property, here is what you should do next.

Go to the Doctor

Unless a fall is catastrophic, the first reaction is not necessarily to go to the hospital. Falls feel embarrassing and can hurt our pride. Our bodies are also excellent at disguising real pain due to adrenaline that floods our brains after an accident. However, just because you don’t hurt immediately after the fall doesn’t mean you won’t be sore in a few days or hours.

If your injuries don’t feel serious, skip the emergency room and instead make an appointment with your primary care physician. You can follow up with the medical professional of your choice, just be sure that you get that care sooner than later.

Take Photos

If you are able, or if you have a witness with you, take photos of the accident site. This can be especially helpful for insurance purposes as well as for remembering what happened to tell your physician. Slips and falls happen quickly, which means you may not exactly know why you fell in the first place until you see a photo of the icy sidewalk or slick hallway surface.

File and Incident Report

If you fall on another property, such as at work or in a retail store, you may be asked to give information that will be used to file an incident report. Give information as you recall and ask for a copy of the report.

Call Grewer Law

Your main focus after a slip and fall incident should be recovering fully. However, it can be difficult to do that when you are worried about insurance claim paperwork and financial issues from missing work. Having the Grewer Law team on your side during this time can give you the chance to focus on recovery while we advocate on your behalf. 

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, call our offices today. We would be honored to work to give you the compensation and favorable outcome you deserve.