Things You Should Do After A Slip And Fall Accident

Hazardous floors or dangerous flooring materials cause more than two million serious falls every year in the United States. And that’s just one cause of these injuries. Others include loose handrails, cluttered walkways, and loose carpets. These injuries usually lead to tens of thousands of dollars of hospital bills, not to mention pain and suffering that is difficult to quantify in monetary terms. Unfortunately, in the wake of these accidents, many victims do or do not do, some things which could derail their claims.

It’s still possible to obtain fair compensation in these situations. However, your Rockford slip and fall lawyer must play catch-up, and that’s not a good position to be in.

DO See a Doctor

Even if you do not “feel” hurt, you should always see a doctor for medical reasons. A paramedic is a highly-trained medical professional, but not a doctor. Falls are one of ht leading causes of head injuries. Since the brain is very good at hiding its own injuries, many of these victims quite honestly “feel fine.” Furthermore, adrenaline masks the pain these injuries generate, at least temporarily.

But not just any doctor will do. These victims should see doctors who focus on such injuries. Accident-related head injuries are very difficult to diagnose, mostly because these victims often don’t display signature symptoms. If a doctor misdiagnosis a head injury, the delay makes it almost impossible to successfully treat these injuries.

There are legal reasons as well. For example, if victims don’t see doctors immediately, an insurance company lawyer might later argue that the victim’s injuries must not have been very bad. That argument could significantly reduce the amount of damages jurors award.

These damages usually include compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.

DON’T Debate the Issues

Landowners very rarely admit fault voluntarily in these situations. Even if they do, this admission might not be admissible in court. Furthermore, if victims have the strength to debate issues with landowners, their injuries may not have been very serious. So, this exercise is not only a waste of time. It’s also potentially devastating to your injury claim.

On a related note, do not give a statement to the landowner’s insurance company. As mentioned, many of these victims sustain head injuries, so they often are not thinking clearly. Sooner or later, the insurance company needs to know your side of the story. But the adjuster doesn’t need to know it straight away.

DO Call a Lawyer

An attorney is not a doctor, but an attorney is a key part of the medical treatment process. As mentioned, it’s important to have a highly qualified doctor. Attorneys have professional relationships with such individuals, so they quickly connect victims with the medical providers they need. As a bonus, attorneys usually negotiate with medical providers and convince them to reduce their fees, defer billing, or both. In fact, it’s usually both.

Furthermore, an attorney can effectively tell your side of the story to an insurance adjuster. Attorneys know how to tell these stories accurately and without unintentionally providing any damaging information.

Work with a Dedicated Winnebago County Slip And Fall Attorney

Accident victims are usually entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced slip and fall attorney in  Rockford, contact Fisk & Monteleone, Ltd by going online or calling 815-315-0574. Home, virtual, and hospital visits are available.