Every second counts once you’ve been hurt in a slip and fall accident in New York City. You’ll have to make important decisions about your next steps, and the choices you make can have serious consequences – both positive and negative.
One misstep would be costly, both for your physical health and the success of any legal claims you might be able to pursue. If you want to make the most of your fight for compensation after a slip and fall in New York City, here’s what you need to know and do.
Report the Slip and Fall to the Owner (or Your Employer)
You’ll want proof that you slipped and fell. One of the best ways to get proof is by reporting the slip and fall accident to the owner of the premises right away. The owner or manager should create a formal record of the event, including the time, date, and location of the slip and fall, as well as other relevant information. However, notifying the owner/management also tips them off to a possible lawsuit or legal claim. So, it’s also important to independently document the dangerous condition that caused you to slip, fall, and get hurt.
If you got hurt while working in NYC, report the fall accident to your employer. Providing notice will be critical if and when you decide to file for workers’ compensation benefits. If you fail to provide notice, it can void your right to recover compensation from your employer’s insurance company to offset the costs of your medical care and lost wages.
Document the Slip and Fall Hazard
Take time to photograph the hazardous condition that caused you to slip and fall. Common slip and fall hazards include puddles, recently waxed floors, unsecured rugs, stray cables, broken floor boards, damaged sidewalks, and missing railings. Document the hazard itself as well as the lack of warnings about the dangerous condition.
For instance, if you slipped and fell in a grocery store because of a puddle of hard-to-see clear liquid on the floor, you’d want to photograph the puddle and a lack of signage or employees in the vicinity to warn you.
It’s a good idea to take photographs of the specific hazard and the local area in which you slipped and fell. Documenting the ways in which the location where you slipped and fell might be different from other parts of the premises can be helpful.
Get the Names and Phone Numbers of Eyewitnesses
Eyewitness accounts of the slip and fall accident can be helpful when you file a personal injury claim or lawsuit against the property owner. It’s a good idea to get the names of any witnesses to your accident, as well as their contact information. You can also ask them to recount the event and record their story on your phone. Even if you don’t get their account of the event recorded, your attorney can subpoena them to testify on your behalf in support of your slip and fall injury case.
Seek Prompt Medical Attention
You don’t want a lot of time to pass by before you seek medical care after a slip and fall accident in NYC. The more time that passes by, the more likely it becomes that you could suffer from serious complications. Further, the more time that passes between the slip and fall and an initial medical assessment, the weaker your claim for compensation becomes.
You’ll need to prove that the slip and fall accident caused your injuries. If you let a lot of time pass by, it gives the property owner the opportunity to argue that you might’ve slipped and fallen, but that the injuries you’re claiming might have been sustained some other way.
Write Down Your Recollection of the Accident
Your own memories of slipping and falling will begin to fade, change, and become less reliable as time goes by. Take a moment to write down the slip and fall from your perspective, taking time to include specific details and memories that could help you during the investigation and discovery process.
Resist the Urge to Take the First Settlement Offer
The property owner’s insurance company might reach out and try to “make things right” after you’ve slipped and fallen. They’re not doing this because they want to help you. Instead, they’re trying to limit their losses. If you accept a settlement offer right off the bat, you’ll also waive your right to get additional compensation in the future.
You won’t know what your slip and fall case is worth until it’s been reviewed and investigated by an experienced personal injury lawyer. So, it makes sense to wait until you have all of the facts before engaging in settlement talks with the property owner or insurance company.
Contact an Experienced New York City Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer
You don’t have to deal with the consequences of a slip and fall accident on your own. In fact, you shouldn’t. It’s in your best interests to hire an experienced slip and fall attorney near you in New York City to help you make decisions and fight for a maximum financial recovery.
Hiring a lawyer shows the property owner and the insurance company that you’re not going to be pushed around or tricked into walking away from the compensation you deserve. Choosing The Platta Law Firm can give you the edge you need to set records with your case results.
At The Platta Law Firm, we have the experience, resources, and knowledge you’ll need to take on a powerful property owner and leverage a meaningful slip and fall settlement. Our top-rated New York trial lawyers have won hundreds of millions for injury victims across the city and throughout the greater NYC metropolitan area – including Westchester County and Rockland County. You have a limited time to take legal action, call our NYC law office at (212) 514-5100 to schedule a free consultation today.
