Slip and fall accidents are among the most common way in which people accidentally injure themselves and are responsible for more than 8 million emergency department visits each year. In many instances, they are simply a result of a person’s own clumsiness or carelessness. Perhaps your shoe was untied, you were looking at your phone, or you simply missed a step and took a spill. In other cases, however, they are the result of an unreasonably dangerous condition on someone else’s property. In these latter slip and fall cases, victims can often recover compensation for their losses from the party responsible for the maintenance of the premises on which the accident took place. Here are some of the things you should NOT do in order to ensure that your legal rights are protected:
- Apologize – If you are like many people, your first instinct after an accident is to apologize. You may feel embarrassed about having fallen or causing a scene, prompting you to say “I’m sorry, it’s my fault.” Unfortunately, a polite gesture like this could be taken as an admission of actual legal fault, making it difficult for you to recover.
- Skip the Doctor’s Office – While slip and fall accidents are certainly capable of causing serious injuries, they often result in milder injuries that do not require emergency medical treatment. This often prompts victims to forgo being evaluated by their physician, as they believe that their injuries will simply heal with time. While this may be true, it is a bad idea from a legal perspective. An important step in recovering compensation is establishing your damages, which can difficult without a medical record.
- Post on Social Media – It is a good idea to stay off of social media while your case is active. Posting could be used against you in a number of ways, including using statements you make to show that the accident was your fault or using your posts to establish that your injuries are not as severe as you are claiming.