What to Do if You’ve Fallen on an Icy Sidewalk

Winter can be a time of quiet beauty but, when storms and below zero temperatures combine, surfaces like public sidewalks can become dangerous. When you want to protect yourself or a loved one from slipping and sustaining an injury, it’s important to take these steps when bringing your case to a lawyer for personal injury.

Take Care of Yourself First

The first and most important thing to do after slipping and falling on an icy sidewalk is to get medical attention. These accidents can result in back, neck, hip, ligament, and other injuries. Not only that, but these injuries can be more serious than they initially look.

When you receive medical attention, you’ll have an official record of your injury that can be used to prove your case in court. You will definitely want to keep this information, including your medical bills, in one place for easy access. As well, it’s important to keep a record of your recovery.

Get Photos of the Scene

If you’re alone when you slip and fall and are physically able to, the next step is to gather evidence from the scene. That means taking photos of the sidewalk, nearby shovels or bags of salt, current weather conditions, and anything else you may think is important.

Why all the photos? Because your personal injury attorney’s job will be to prove that the property owner was liable for your injury. In order to prove liability, you must prove that the owner was negligent.

Of course, it’s impossible to keep a sidewalk safe at every moment, but there is the expectation that the owner will not only be responsible for preventing dangerous conditions but will also take thorough steps to do so in a reasonable amount of time before conditions worsen to the point of being unsafe.

Find Witnesses

Get contact information and possible statements from anyone who may have seen you fall. In addition, be sure to get the address of the location where your fall occurred, as well as information about any businesses closest to that location.

Get Legal Advice

You may not feel as though it’s important to call a lawyer, but this is exactly what you should do next—and the sooner, the better. The reason is simple: While your injury may not be serious or painful right after you fall, problems can worsen in the future.

This could result in you paying your medical expenses out-of-pocket. If you have to take time off work to recover, these medical bills can make a significant dent in your finances. Also, if your injuries force you to go to the hospital immediately, your lawyer can visit the scene to complete information gathering.

Many slip and fall cases result in the property owner denying any responsibility. The right personal injury law firm will ensure that your case will be aggressively defended. Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers can get you the compensation you deserve for your slip and fall injury. Claim your free consultation.