If you were injured in an accident involving a slip and fall or trip and fall, one of your options for recovery may be to file a personal injury lawsuit. This could help you recover the costs of medical expenses, lost wages, and even compensate you directly for your pain and suffering. Preparing everything you need for filing and trial can be difficult, especially if your injuries are severe. However, the Philadelphia slip and fall injury lawyers at The Reiff Law Firm often find the following preparation especially helpful in slip and fall cases. If you need a lawyer for your case, contact The Reiff Law Firm today for a free consultation.
Prepping Your Slip and Fall Lawsuit
Going into a potential lawsuit, it is important to have all the facts. Always sit down and talk to an attorney about how to build your premises liability case, and what evidence is important. However, there are some things you may be able to do to gather and preserve evidence ahead of time. The following tasks can help you prep your personal injury case.
Get Medical Treatment
One part of proving your case in court will be proving what your injuries were. Having a doctor examine your injuries, diagnose any resulting conditions, and be able to make statements about your condition and recovery is important. If your doctor is willing to testify in court, this can help you prove your case to a jury. Especially if you suffered complicated injuries or conditions, such as traumatic brain injury or back and spinal injuries, a doctor can help explain the symptoms, how the injury typically occurs, and what effects the injury will have on your life now and in the future.
Take Pictures
If you can get pictures of where you fell, this can help show what the area is like. If the floor is made of a slippery material or if there were uncleared spills or snow on the surface, this can help your case. However, these pictures are best when they come from the specific day (and time) of the injury itself. If you fell and someone nearby took pictures, getting those eyewitness pictures may be a huge help. Alternatively, if you fell in a store or another location that may have security footage, this could provide real-time evidence of how you fell. Act quickly though; most security footage is routinely deleted after around 48 hours. Talking to an attorney about your case right away or asking to have the security camera footage kept safe is important.
Gather Witness Information
If you were with a friend or family member when the accident occurred, they may provide great evidence of what happened through eyewitness testimony. They may be able to discuss how you fell, how the property owners reacted, what was said, and how your treatment is going. If you suffered severe injuries, you may have lost consciousness or been swept from the scene, but a friend or family member may have seen or heard more. Additionally, other patrons in a store, people who work at the location, or passers-by may also have been good eyewitnesses who are willing to help with your case. Do not try to confront witnesses without an attorney, but do gather personal information and contact information if you can.
Keep Records
With all the information you may gather, it is important to keep it safe and together. If you can, having digital and hard copies of all information is best. Keep records of doctor visits, hospital bills, important location information, and any contact info for witnesses. If you can, keep a journal of your recovery. Describing your pain and suffering is important to get compensation for these damages, and keeping a journal of the experiences as you go along can be helpful in proving your case. Keep all of this information together in a folder, and label the folder “For My Lawyer,” even if you don’t have a lawyer yet. This may help you keep the information safe, later.
Do Not Talk About the Case
When people are injured, one of their first reactions is often to tell their friends and loved ones about it. While you can certainly explain to your mother that you were injured, try to keep yourself from telling too many details. Additionally, some people love to tell their story, even to complete strangers. It is important not to talk about pending or ongoing litigation. Many of the statements you make about what happened could come in as evidence later, and you do not know who the opposing side might want to call as a witness to the event or your statements, so keep the information to yourself. Moreover, keep all information about the case, your injuries, and your physical/mental state off social media. A picture of you smiling with friends just days after your accident could seriously undermine your injury claims.
Philadelphia Slip and Fall Lawyers
The Philadelphia personal injury lawyers at The Reiff Law Firm represent slip and fall accident injury victims throughout the greater Philadelphia area. If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a slip and fall accident, call our law offices today for a free consultation on your case. Our number is (215) 709-6940.
