Leesburg Florida personal injury lawyer discusses the 3 things you need to know if you are injured in a slip and fall.
Many folks are seriously injured in slip and fall accidents whether they slip on a wet floor, a parking bumper, a poorly lit parking lot or an uneven stairway. As a general rule, slip and fall cases are difficult to prove and juries have a tendency to place a good bit of fault on the person who fell. Because of all these issues, there are 3 things you need to know if you hope to receive compensation for your slip and fall injuries.
1. The How & Why
It happens all the time; somebody calls up my office and explains that they have been seriously injured in a slip and fall. My first question is HOW DID YOU FALL ? I cant tell you how many times there is dead silence on the other end of the phone. I ask them again, HOW DID YOU FALL? And then the caller will sheepishly say “ I DONT KNOW. ” If the caller doesnt know how they fell, the odds of finding a lawyer to assist him/her is slim to none.
If the call knows how they fell, I next ask them “WHY DID YOU FALL.” Because you didnt see the product on the floor or you didnt see the defect or the lights were out and it was dark. There has to be a why – think about the why before you discuss your case with a Florida slip and fall lawyer.
2. Witnesses or Video
It is very important in slip and fall cases to corroborate your story. If there were witnesses to your fall – it is important to get their names and numbers so they can provide information about the event. Additionally, you should look around the area or have a family member or friend look around the area to see if there is any surveillance video of the event. Witnesses and video surveillance can shed light on the how and why and corroborate the event.
3. Your injuries
You should have some understanding of your injuries when you call a lawyers office and your slip and fall case. You do not need to know specifics but you should be able to explain that you broke your ankle or your wrist in the fall.
Florida slip and fall cases are difficult to prove if the injured person is not able to describe how and/or why he fell and be able to corroborate the event. If you have any questions about a Florida slip and fall case, call our Leesburg personal injury, Guy S. DiMartino directly on his cell at 352-267-9168 or fill out the internet consultation form on the right.