What Happens if I Slip and Fall in a Store
When someone is injured while on someone else’s property, it may be beneficial to enlist the help of an injury lawyer Maryland residents can turn to, to find out whether or not the injured person may be entitled to compensation for expenses related to their injuries.
Every business has a legal duty of care to keep their locations free of dangers and hazards which could result in patrons getting injured. Unfortunately, many businesses – especially large retail stores – do not always abide by these rules, either because employees are not paying attention or for other reasons. The result is that shoppers get injured.
At Cohen & Cohen we have worked with many clients who have become injured because of a hazard left in a business where they were shopping. Although we hope you never have to use the following advice, knowing what steps to take if you are injured can help should you need to pursue a premises liability claim against the store. This information can be especially helpful if the store is a national retail chain and not a local, small business. To find out what your legal rights are in this situation, contact an injury lawyer in Maryland who is experienced in successfully defending the rights of personal injury victims and their families.
What You Need to Do if You Are Injured
The first thing you need to do after a slip and fall incident is to immediately document what it was that made you fall by taking photographs of the area with your phone. After you have taken photos, let an employee or manager know that you have fallen and what has happened. It is almost a guarantee that once management knows you have fallen, they will have an employee quickly clean the area up and this will destroy whatever evidence there is of the hazard that caused your fall.
If there were witnesses to the fall – either other shoppers or employees – try to get their contact information.
When possible, it is a good idea to discuss what you should and should not do with an injury lawyer who is licensed to practice in Maryland (or the state you were injured in) as soon as possible after your injury occurs.
If you are physically able to leave the store and do not need emergency responders, you should go immediately to the doctor to get checked out and have your injuries documented. You should do this even if you do not think you have been injured. Many times, symptoms of injuries may not show up for a day or two and this delay of seeking medical attention could be used against you if you file a claim. The insurance companies have been known to accuse victims of actually being hurt somewhere else and using the fall as a way to collect damages they don’t really deserve. This is one of the many reasons it is a good idea to enlist the help of good Maryland injury lawyer, as soon as possible.
After seeing a doctor, the next thing you should do is go back to the store to make sure an official report is made. Make sure you are given a copy of this report. If you wind up needing to file a personal injury claim against the store that you were injured in, your Maryland injury lawyer will likely use this information to help build a strong case in your favor.
Although you may be tempted to, do not post anything about the incident on any of your social media accounts. Any sharing of photos or details you post about the accident could end up being used against you by the store’s insurance company.
Your last step should be to contact a skilled and experienced slip and fall injury attorney to find out what legal options you may have against the business. The attorney will conduct a full investigation to determine what liability the store has, if any, and how much in damages you may be entitled to.
For a injury lawyer Maryland slip and fall victims and their families can rely on, contact Cohen & Cohen today.
