According to the National Floor Safety Institute, slip & fall cases account for a staggering 8 million hospital emergency visits every year. Along with half of all accidental deaths in the home occurring because of a fall, more than one in three people over the age of 65 will experience a serious fall. A leading cause of compensation injury in industries like trucking, slip & falls occur with staggering frequency.
If you have slipped and fallen, then the first thing you might do is blame yourself. However, the situation where you have fallen could have been particularly unsafe. Due to negligence on the part of the owner, you may be able to make a claim against them. However, doing so will require that you act as soon as possible.
Immediately after the slip & fall, it is important to preserve the evidence around you. Without this evidence, you risk being unable to make your case in a court of law. The burden of proof rests on your shoulders, and knowing what to do from the get-go can give you a far stronger case in the long run. Having worked to win such cases for our clients, Avrek Law Firm has provided a list of the physical evidence you should keep track of in a slip and fall case. Remember, timing is everything.
A Quick Note On Properly Preserving Evidence of Slip & Fall Accidents
Making your case to a judge regarding your slip & fall case will require the proper preservation of all physical evidence relating to the case. The evidence can include things like debris and foreign material, as well as your clothing. Any and all things that are related to the case should be preserved in plastic bags until the case has come to an end. This is done to allow the evidence to be preserved, guaranteeing the validity of the evidence. For additional information, contact your Riverside injury attorney and discuss what the best course of action will be regarding your evidence.
Preserving Your Clothing
There are many different reasons for why a fall may take place. The more evidence you have, the better the likelihood of your case. One important thing to keep bagged as evidence is the clothing and other items you were wearing when the accident occurred. Along with your clothing, this can also include your shoes as well. Many slip and fall accidents occur when the floor is wet or generally slippery. Having this evidence bagged will help you to make your case in court. Be aware that your attorney will use whatever is on your clothing to prove that there was a hazard that caused your fall. They will require this evidence be intact when your court case is being argued. With this in mind, you should not under any circumstance wash or clean the clothes. If you have any questions, then contact your attorney.
Preserving Debris/Foreign Material
A lot of slip and falls occur in grocery stores where things are laying around and are easy to trip over. Anything relating to your fall should be carefully bagged as it is evidence. You will need to get the object responsible for the fall and hold on to it, ensuring that no person tampers with it in the meantime. If you cannot take it with you, then take a picture of it and the surrounding area.
Contact Avrek Law Firm Today
With years of experience representing clients in slip & fall cases, let the experts help you make the case and get the compensation you are looking for. Feel free to contact us today at 866-598-5548 for additional information on how to schedule a complimentary consultation.
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