Falling in a Florida grocery store, mall, movie theater or just on the sidewalk in Northeast Florida can be embarrassing, but it can also lead to serious injuries. If you are injured by as a result of aFlorida slip and fall incident, some simple but important actions can help protect and enforce your legal rights.
1. Report the Incident. Make sure that the incident has been reported to an employee or a manager and write down the name of that person.
2. Witnesses. If there were witnesses to the incident or witnesses to the condition that made you fall (i.e. water on the floor, ice cream on the floor, etc. . .), then speak to the witness and get the contact information for the witness. While the store may complete an incident report, the store may not provide you with the incident report or the name of the witness in the future. Get your own information (if possible) rather than relying on the store to provide it to you.
3. Look for what caused your fall. Was there a warning sign by the danger? Photograph the area where you fell, point it out to someone nearby, and pay attention to the location of the area, size of the spill or dangerous condition, time of the fall, and other details.
4. Seek medical treatment if you have any pain.
5. Contact an attorney so that the attorney can discuss your Florida legal rights and options. It is also important to speak with a Florida personal injury attorney because the related insurance carrier may contact you for a recorded statement. Insurance adjusters often know how to ask questions related to your slip and fall and related injuries in a way that can be confusing. The more knowledge you have before giving a statement the better for your legal claim / case.
If you do seek the assistance of a qualified personal injury attorney in Jacksonville or Northeast Florida, please know that consultation should be free and you should not have to pay upfront for any work related to your slip and fall accident. Most personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means the lawyer does not get paid until the attorney gets money for your injuries.