5 Important Steps in a Slip and Fall Injury Claim

Posted on Jul 17, 2020
If you have been injured as a result of a slip and fall accident due to a property owner’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. However, there are important steps that must be taken and strict time limitations to follow when making a claim for compensation following a slip and fall. Oshawa injury lawyers https://www.kslawfirm.ca/services/oshawa/slip-and-fall-injury-lawyer-oshawa.php at Kitchen Simeson Belliveau LLP have handled slip and fall claims arising from hazards such as snow, ice, potholes, poorly maintained driveways and parking lots, poor lighting, and spills or slippery materials on floors. Regardless of how the incident occurred, there are 5 important steps that unify all claims arising from a slip and fall.

slip and fall injury lawyer

Oshawa injury lawyers’ key steps in a slip and fall injury claim

 

  1. Report the incident to the property owner. It is important to immediately report the incident to the property owner or the person overseeing the property at the time you were injured. For example, if you were injured on commercial property (e.g. a grocery store), you should report it to the on-duty manager. Reporting the incident is essential to legitimizing your injury claim, particularly if there were no eyewitnesses to your slip and fall. Request a copy of any incident report they prepare.
  2. Speak to witnesses and take photographs of the scene. If there are witnesses to the slip and fall, ask for their names and contact information. Take photographs or videos of the entire scene, with particular focus on the hazard that caused you to slip and fall. Try to do this as soon as possible, as it is typically the case that the property owner or manager will attempt to clean up or fix the problem right away. Eyewitness evidence and visual proof of the hazard can be invaluable to substantiating your personal injury claim.
  3. Seek medical attention and follow treatment recommendations. Slip and fall accidents can cause serious injuries including fractures and head injuries that can leave you with long-standing physical limitations or chronic pain. It is important to seek medical attention, even if you don’t think your injuries are that serious. You might have internal injuries or a concussion/brain injury that is not immediately obvious. It may take several hours or days for the full extent of a slip and fall injury to become apparent. Seeing a doctor and getting proper treatment should reduce your pain and recovery time, and it is also important to understand that if you do not see a doctor, it may be difficult to link your injuries or symptoms to the slip and fall.
  4. Get help from a personal injury lawyer. Your ability to perform Steps #1 and #2 will depend on the nature and severity of your injuries. If you are seriously injured, unconscious, unable to move, or transported by ambulance to the emergency room, contact a slip and fall injury lawyer https://www.kslawfirm.ca/services/slip-and-fall-injury-lawyer-oshawa/frequently-asked-questions as soon as possible after the accident, or ask a loved one to reach out on your behalf. Our Oshawa slip and fall lawyers can assist with reporting the incident, documenting the scene, preserving evidence (e.g., CCTV camera footage of the incident), collecting relevant documents (e.g., maintenance logs), interviewing eyewitnesses, and filing your personal injury claim.
  5. Negotiate, mediate, or go to trial. If you hire a personal injury lawyer to handle your claim, your lawyer will handle all legal aspects of your claim so you can focus on rest and recovery from your injuries. With strong representation by a knowledgeable slip and fall lawyer, it may be possible to secure resolution by settlement negotiations with the insurance company or mediation. If out-of-court settlement is not possible, a trial will be necessary. While only a small fraction of cases go to trial, be sure you hire lawyer with personal injury litigation experience.  https://www.kslawfirm.ca/services/oshawa/personal-injury-lawyers.php

 

 

Get legal advice from a top Oshawa slip and fall lawyer

If you would like more information about these steps or the process for bringing a personal injury claim for your slip and fall injury, Oshawa lawyers at Kitchen Simeson Belliveau LLP are here to help. We offer a free initial consultation and if you decide to retain us, slip and fall personal injury accident claims are handled by our firm on a contingency fee basis. This means that you do not have to pay us until your claim is resolved and only if you have received money. Contact our slip and fall injury lawyers in Oshawa, Lindsay, Whitby, Cobourg, Ajax and Pickering, Bowmanville, Port Hope and surrounding areas today by calling 905-579-5302. You can also get in touch with us using our eForm https://www.kslawfirm.ca/areas-we-serve/ to request your free consultation.

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