What do I do after a slip-and-fall if I think I may be injured?

Everyone has had a slip or trip and fall in their life. Sometimes the cause of the fall might be from their own doing, but most of the time, it’s because of a preventable hazard. These hazards can include ice that was not easily noticeable because it was covered by snow, unseen holes in grass that are covered and left unfilled by a construction company, cracks and lips in sidewalks, or unsafe stairs that didn’t have a handrail or landing.

Whatever the cause of the fall may be, it’s crucial that you take certain steps to ensure your best interests are protected. Ideally, it would be best if you kept in mind the following:

Pictures

• “A picture is worth a thousand words”
• Take a bunch of pictures of the area where you fell that shows the hazard (e.g. ice on a sidewalk or parking lot, liquid left on a floor, stairs without a handrail, etc.)
• Even if you’re not sure if you’re hurt, you should take them 

Witnesses

• If anyone witnessed the fall, see whether they’d be willing to provide their names, e-mails and phone numbers should you ever need to contact them in the future 
• Keep your footwear: make sure you don’t throw away the shoes or boots you were wearing
• If you’re able to, try not to wear them as much as you usually would so you can show that they had good grip and tread

Notify those responsible

• Depending on where the fall happened, you should always make sure that whoever may have been responsible is made aware
• If the fall occurred in a store or at the mall, let the staff or security know, obtain their names and request that an incident report be taken
• If the fall happened on a city sidewalk, you should notify the city in writing within ten days of the fall by registered mail or attending city hall
• If the fall occurred in a parking lot and was caused by snow or ice, you have 60 days to notify either the owner of the parking lot or a contractor hired to maintain the property

It’s always important to remember that the injured person has to prove their claim in any personal injury case. Unlike in car collisions, where there is plenty of documentation to show what happened, slips/trips and falls often lack proof to support the incident. If you follow the recommendations made here, you’re one step closer to ensuring you recover the compensation you deserve.

Have any questions or concerns regarding a slip-and-fall accident? Call 905-522-9799 to arrange a free initial legal consultation with Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers. Our lawyers will work to ensure you will be compensated accurately for your accident. We proudly serve Hamilton, Brantford, Burlington, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Paris, and other areas of Ontario.

Get the financial support you need for optimal recovery with Findlay Personal Lawyers.