Slips and falls are among the most recurring types of accidents. The impact of your body hitting the ground can cause cuts, bruises, and fractures. In critical cases, victims may lose their mobility or even their lives. These injuries cause physical pain and may require costly treatment.

As a result, victims are entitled to compensation, but this is only possible if another person’s negligence causes the accident. Even so, you must follow due process while avoiding errors. Read on to discover five mistakes to be wary of after a slip-and-fall accident.

Not Seeking Immediate Medical Attention

Slip and fall accidents that qualify for compensation always occur in unsafe conditions due to negligent acts. Depending on the location, you can hold the property owner or the government agency in charge of the premises liable. However, you’ll have to prove the extent of your injuries and provide medical records that correspond with your narration of events.

People who assume they’re fine because they don’t feel intense pain after tripping may experience delayed symptoms. The lack of immediate medical attention also increases the risk of complications. So, it’s important to visit the hospital after a slip-and-fall.

Failing to Report the Accident

Some people quietly exit the scene after falling, but that’s a big mistake. Regardless of your location, always alert the management officials. Ensure that they document your report and create an official record. Otherwise, when push comes to shove, they may deny being aware of the situation.

Request a copy of their written or digital report for record-keeping purposes. If you’re in a one-party consent state, you can record the conversation if they refuse to oblige. This way, you’ll have proof of their awareness.

Leaving the Scene Without Evidence

Always take photographs and make videos of the accident scene, as there’s no guarantee of their permanence. Cleaners can dry wet floors, workers can fix missing staircase railings, and the management may put up a warning sign.

Visual evidence helps to prove that the environment was unsafe. Capture every detail, including the seemingly unimportant ones, and get the contact details of witnesses whose narrations corroborate yours.

Speaking to Insurance Adjusters With Uncertainty 

In most cases, insurance agents call victims to get their statements. However, they use this as an avenue to interrogate you and search for loopholes in your story. Even those who seem friendly aim to minimize payout.

You must get your facts right to be able to build a strong case. If you’re unsure how to do this, an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer can help collect the needed evidence and file a claim. 

Delaying to File a Claim

Some people fail to file a claim and end up losing their right to receive compensation. That’s because each state has its time limits for filing personal injury claims. For example, in Florida, you have four years to file a claim for personal injury cases like slip-and-falls or exposure to toxic substances.

While this duration may seem long, it’s advisable to begin early, as waiting increases the risk of lost evidence or witnesses forgetting details. When you file promptly, you get to build a stronger case.

Endnote

While you may randomly trip, sometimes, the underlying reason may be someone’s careless actions. In such cases, you can receive compensation, but this may be difficult if you fail to seek early medical attention, report the accident, or collect evidence, so avoid those errors, limit conversations with adjusters, and file a claim immediately.