What To Do After Experiencing a Slip and Fall Injury

Slip and fall accidents can happen to anyone, but they are more likely to occur and injure us as we get older. Slipping and injuring yourself is a painful experience, made worse by the potential aftermath that you have to deal with. To make things a little easier for you, below are the steps you should follow after a slip and fall injury. Hopefully, you won’t ever need these tips, but if the day comes when you do, you’ll be glad you had one less thing to think about.

Get Medical Attention

Your health is the most important thing to take care of after you slip and fall. If you’re lucky, you’ll only experience some minor bumps or bruises after the accident, which will heal after a short amount of time. However, in some cases, you may experience more significant injuries. It’s not uncommon for people who slip and fall to suffer broken bones, sprained muscles, torn ligaments, or even a concussion.

After your accident, make getting medical attention your top priority. Even if it feels like only a minor injury, seeking medical assistance can help ensure there are no other underlying problems. In addition, if the accident occurred because of someone else’s negligence, seeking medical attention will create a record of any injuries you sustained. 

Determine the Cause of the Accident

Once you’re able, you’ll want to determine the cause of the accident and who is responsible. If you slip inside your home on a wet bathroom floor, the responsibility is either on you or someone in your family. In a case like this, the only thing you can do is learn from your mistakes and take measures to prevent similar accidents from happening again.

However, someone else may be responsible for your injury if the accident occurred outside the home. For instance, if you slipped on an unmarked wet floor inside a store or on an icy patch on government property, it’s this negligence that caused your accident. Determining who is responsible for the accident is important because if it’s someone else, you can seek financial compensation.

Seek Legal Counsel

Legal counsel can help you secure financial compensation when an accident occurs outside the home. You can then use this money to pay for your medical bills, to make up for lost income, or to ease your pain and suffering. However, going through the process of getting this compensation can be time-consuming and difficult. This is why you’ll want to work with an experienced lawyer.

According to Chopin Law, a slip and fall attorney, “When you slip and fall on someone else’s property, you may be left both trying to physically recover and navigate the process of how to get your bills paid. The good news is that premises liability laws exist to protect those injured on a business or residential property.” Spend time looking for an attorney in your area with experience in personal injury lawsuits, especially those involving a slip and fall. These lawyers can guide you on the best way to proceed and give you a better idea as to how much compensation you can expect.

Make Financial Adjustments as Necessary

Your accident may impact your financial situation. You might have medical expenses, an inability to work because of your injuries, or other costs associated with limited mobility, such as having to rent a wheelchair. It’s important to take some time to review your financial situation following an accident and make any necessary adjustments. If you’re not careful, you could find that you’re spending more money than you can afford and taking on debt, further adding to the stress of the situation. Do what you can to manage your finances until you’re back on your feet.

Follow Your Recovery Plan

In many cases, a slip and fall accident will result in significant time needed to recover fully. Your doctor will prescribe a treatment plan for you, which could involve surgeries, physical therapy, or medication. It’s important that you follow this treatment plan as closely as possible so that you can recover more quickly.

Many people attempt to rush their recovery or slack off as they start to feel close to normal again. Doing either of these can slow your progress or even make the injury worse. Even small acts like performing recommended stretches or simple exercises at home can go a long way toward your recovery and shouldn’t be ignored.

Ask for Help from Those Around You

Finally, be sure to ask for help from those around you if you need it. Many of us are stubborn when it comes to asking for help and will instead make things more difficult for ourselves. However, doing too much after an injury can worsen things. If you need help with something, such as having someone babysit your kids while you go to physical therapy or need a ride because you can’t drive, don’t be afraid to ask. Most people are more than happy to assist you during this difficult time.