This is a common question(s) that the firm receives and is an important topic:
WHEN SHOULD I CALL AN ACCIDENT LAWYER AFTER I SLIP/FALL OR TRIP AT A STORE? SHOULD I CALL THE POLICE? SHOULD I HAVE AN ACCIDENT REPORT WRITTEN?
Fall accidents happen in various ways and in various places. In some cases, an ambulance is called. The management of the store writes up an accident report and, therefore no dispute that the accident took place. In other cases where people fall, they do not alert anyone that the incident happened and they do not even show up to a doctor for several days. Thus, there is a significant dispute as to whether the injury took place at the subject location.
It is generally recommended, if you fall at someone else’s property and you believe this may be the property owner or occupier’s fault, that you report the accident. This notice is made so that the facility/ person(s) know that you fell and can see what caused you to fall. Most people think that when they go to court that a jury will believe their testimony BUT in today’s world, this is not guaranteed (and of course there are no guarantees in general in these court cases).
The police generally do not get involved in cases like this, although, from time to time I have seen slip/fall cases documented by the police. If for example, you fall on public property and there is no management on site to notify or if the injury takes place after hours on a property, then this might be the property situation to call the police to report such accident. Obviously, in some these situations it is not possible to report the accident right after it happened. In some scenarios, you can go back the next day and explain to management of the place that you fell, so that a report can be made at that time.
In terms of calling a lawyer, it is advisable to call a lawyer right away. Drucker Law Offices offers a free consultation, so it is easy enough to get a opinion about your trip and fall or slip and fall case. The lawyer can advise you about the next necessary steps to take, can advise you about when you are required to give a statement to the insurance company for the place where you fell, can advise you about good reputable physicians in the area where you live that you can treat with, can advise you about presenting a claim to the insurance company, and ultimately can advise you about whether a lawsuit needs to be filed in your case.
Of course, every case is different and needs to be judged based on the facts of each case. It is a good idea to get a consultation regarding an accident case in case this happens to you. The advise contained in this blog is intended to be of general nature and not as to a specific situation, so please call a licensed Florida attorney, like attorney Gary J. Drucker, to determine if and how Florida law applies to your case.
