If you recently suffered a slip and fall accident at an establishment such as a restaurant or retail store and are considering filing an injury claim, retaining a personal injury attorney is imperative. This is due to the fact that in order to obtain compensation for your injuries and medical expenses, you must be able to prove that the establishment owner was negligent in providing a safe environment.

For example, if you were injured by tripping over a broken step, the business owner can only be deemed negligent if evidence shows there was an awareness of the unsafe conditions prior to the incident and no action was taken to remedy the situation. A professional personal injury attorney will help you in proving fault by conducting a full investigation prior to filing your claim. Read on to learn more about the process of filing a slip and fall injury claim with a personal injury lawyer. 

Seek Immediate Medical Treatment

Prior to consulting with a personal injury attorney, it is imperative that you seek immediate medical treatment for your injuries, regardless of the severity of your symptoms. In certain injuries, such as whiplash, pain and other symptoms can take days to develop,  but tests such as computerized tomography scans can detect soft tissue injuries and spinal damage. In addition to promptly treating your injuries, the physician will be able to provide you with important documents such as medical evaluations and copies of X-rays or scans, which are essential to your case. 

Consult With A Personal Injury Attorney

After you have been treated for your injuries, the next step in filing a slip and fall claim is to consult with a personal injury attorney. During your consultation, you will want to provide the attorney with your medical documentation, as well as any additional evidence that may aid in pointing to negligence. Helpful evidence can include copies of accident reports filled out by the establishment manager or owner, photos of your injuries, photos of the hazardous conditions, and copies of police or EMT reports if they were called to the scene. The attorney will ask you questions pertaining to your accident and examine your evidence. If they choose to move forward with your case, a legal agreement will be provided and they will begin their investigation.

Filing Your Claim

Before filing an official claim on your behalf, your attorney will conduct an investigation in order to verify your evidence and gather additional information if necessary. Depending on the specifics of your case, the investigation may include visiting the establishment to examine the accident scene, consulting with your physician and interviewing witnesses to the incident who are willing to speak on your behalf. Once the investigation is complete, your attorney will calculate your damages and draw up a complaint to be served upon the establishment owner.

Court Trial Or Out-of-Court Settlement?

In many cases, slip and fall claims can be settled out of court, especially when establishment owners take full responsibility for the accident. However, it is always possible that the establishment owner or their insurance company will contest the claim, so it is important to be prepared for a potential court trial. Whatever the situation may be, your attorney will do their best to fight your case and negotiate a fair amount of compensation on your behalf.

Trust The Professionals

Slip and fall injury claims can be complex, as proving fault is essential when it comes to obtaining damages for your injuries. Working with a skilled and professional injury attorney can help to ensure that your claim is handled with professionalism and efficiency.