If you have been injured from a slip and fall on property owned or occupied by another, there are a few things you should do if circumstances allow. They include letting the owner/occupier of the property know about the incident, taking photos of the area of the fall, and obtaining contact information of any witnesses.

Slip and Fall on Commercial Property

If the incident occurred on commercial property, the onsite manager may be trained to handle such a situation by immediately addressing any medical concern. Afterwards they may ask you questions about the incident, as well as your contact information so they can report the incident to their head office.

Although you can be cooperative in answering questions, limit your remarks to the facts surrounding the incident. If you are asked to sign something, it would be prudent not to.

Why is HR/Legal Calling Me?

Do not be surprised if you receive a call from someone at the head office of a company, such as someone from their HR or legal department. Such departments typically follow up with potential claimants. They are seeking to get as much information and admissions as possible. Unfortunately, such calls often happen before the injured party contacts a lawyer.

Having this discussion before speaking with a personal injury lawyer may be problematic. Moreover, an injury may not manifest itself immediately from the fall, or a minor injury may be more significant than originally thought.

If someone from the company does contact you, politely take down the person’s name and contact information and advise that you would prefer to speak at another time.

Timing Matters

It would be prudent to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer soon after the slip and fall incident. They can help assess your situation and provide a recommended course of action.

In some situations, you may need to give written notice of a claim very quickly. For example, if you have injured yourself on municipal property, generally you will need to give notice to the municipality within 10 days from the date of the incident.

I have over 30 years of experience in representing injured parties in personal injury cases. If you have questions after having a slip and fall, you can reach me at 647.348.5422. I provide an initial free consultation.