What Should I Do if I am Injured at a Place of Business?
All businesses and landowners are required to make sure they keep you safe while on their property. In fact, it is their responsibility to let you know about wet floors, hazards in parking lots, and other possible dangers at their location. However, even with some precautions, injurious incidents happen.
Here are some types of injurious incidents that companies may be liable for if you get hurt on their property.
Falls from uneven or slippery surfaces
Injuries from falling objects
Sickness from improperly prepared foods
Cuts and abrasions from sharp objects like counters, endcaps, pins, or showcases
Injuries from neglected and unsafe parking lots
If you or a loved one are injured at a business or on the property of another as a result of their negligent acts or omissions, you deserve fair compensation for your injuries and damages. In order to protect yourself or your loved one, it is also very important that you get as much evidence of actionable negligence as is possible.
Steps To Take If You’ve Been Injured At A Business or Property of Another:
- 1. Look for witnesses. If someone saw what happened and can explain how the business was negligent, obtain their contact information.
- 2. Take pictures. Take pictures of the area where you got hurt (to include what specifically caused your injuries) and how it happened.
- 3. File an incident report. Talk to the owner or manager to fill out an incident report logging that it happened. Get a copy of the report. If they refuse to make an incident report or give you a copy, be sure and get their name and position. Make sure to also ask for their insurance details.
- 4. Get immediate medical help for your injuries. Refusing to get medical help after an injury will hurt your case as people may believe injuries that are not bad enough for treatment are not significant enough for compensation.
- 5. DO NOT post about the incident on social media. But, if a social media post has been created, DO NOT delete it.
- 6. Find a lawyer to help very quickly. Often security camera footage is supremely important to proving your case, but such footage is also often destroyed, as a matter of course, within days. A lawyer needs to instruct the business or landowner to preserve video footage before it can be destroyed.
In order to prove that the business was at fault, there are also a couple of other items you will need.
Share why you were at the business. Were you purchasing something or using a service? Or did you have an invitation to be on the property?
Learn what caused the injury, but be able to explain clearly how you did not know about the danger or hazard before the injurious incident occurred. For example, if you do not know what was on the floor that caused you to slip and fall, before you leave that area, if you are able, find out.
Contact A Trusted Legal Source
Nothing is worse than having a claim and letting precious time or evidence slip away. Our professional team is here to advocate for you and your loved one’s safety and rights when you are visiting a business or the property of another. Contact our office immediately and our team of friendly experts will walk you through the essential elements to getting the compensation you deserve.
