What to do After a Slip and Fall Accident In Waldorf, Maryland
Slip and fall accidents can occur in a variety of places, including in a public place like a restaurant, grocery store, or shopping mall. Both shop owners and your employer have a duty to maintain a safe environment. This means that floors should not be slippery, sidewalks should be properly maintained, stairwells should be in working order, etc., otherwise injuries can occur when someone slips, trips, or falls. Resulting injuries can range from relatively minor to severe and catastrophic.
If you have been involved in a slip and fall accident in Maryland and sustained injuries, it is important to contact a Charles County slip and fall accident attorney as soon as possible. In addition, the following are some steps you should take after a slip and fall accident.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
It is imperative to seek medical attention as soon as possible after a slip and fall. This helps create a record for your case and prove your injuries. Failure to see a doctor for a week or two after an accident will be used against you by the other side who will say your injuries were not that severe or existent at all. It is wise to see a doctor right away, even if you do not feel like you are injured. Sometimes, it can take a day or two before you feel the soreness and muscle aches and pains. In other cases, you could have internal injuries that you cannot yet feel.
Take Scene Photos and Get Witness Information
It is important to document the scene as it was at the time of the accident. Was there something all over the floor? Was the handrail broken on a staircase? Did merchandise fall off the shelves and cause you to fall? It is important to document the scene because it helps establish negligence against the store or business where the accident occurred.
Was there someone present who saw what happened? Witness information is crucial to proving liability. If someone saw that there was a hazard on the floor, causing you to slip and fall, your attorney will want to speak with this person.
Make a Report to Someone Official
Depending on the circumstances, you may want to make a report to the proper person in charge. Is there security present or a manager to whom you can report the fall? If the incident happened in a mall, you should contact mall security, for example. What you do not want to do is make a recorded statement to any insurance company without first consulting a lawyer. Make an initial report to someone in charge and then let your attorney have further communication with the store and their defense team.
It is best to decline making any statements about liability as it could inadvertently hurt your case. This is why you should retain an attorney right away who can ensure your rights are protected and can deal with negotiations and discussions with the other side.
Retain a Maryland Personal Injury Attorney
If you were injured in a slip and fall, contact the Law Office of Robert R. Castro today at 301-870-1200 to schedule an initial consultation.
