What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident

Slip and fall accidents are common occurrences in the Cape Cod area. While some people walk away from slip and fall accidents unharmed, in many cases they can cause fractures, strains, sprains, back, and brain injuries. People injured in slip and fall accidents may be able to recover damages from the person or company that owned the property where they fell, but it is critical for the injured party to take certain steps to preserve their claim. If you were injured on someone else’s property, an experienced Cape Cod slip and fall lawyer can review your case and determine what evidence you may need to pursue a claim. At the Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, our attorneys over fifteen decades of collective experience assisting injured victims in the pursuit of damages for their harm. We have the skills to hold property owners accountable for the harm caused by their negligence, and have successfully recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards for our personal injury clients.

The first thing to do after a slip and fall accident is assess your health. Thus, the first thing you should do following a slip and fall accident is to seek medical care for any injuries you sustained. Some injuries may not be immediately evident, so even if you do not believe you were injured, it may be prudent to visit a doctor to make sure you didn't suffer injuries that are not visible.

After a slip and fall accident, it is also important to report your accident to the owner of the property where you fell and request a copy of any incident report he or she drafts to use as potential evidence. It is prudent to ask the property owner if they have any surveillance cameras that record footage from the area where you fell, and if so, request copies of the footage. Additionally, you should request the contact information of any people who witnessed your fall and ask them what they observed. Their eyewitness accounts may be useful in establishing that the property owner knew or should have known of the condition that caused your fall.

If you are able, it is also helpful to take pictures of the area where you fell and the condition that caused you to fall. In most cases, falls are caused by liquid, debris, or snow or ice, which will be removed from the premises long before any lawsuit may be filed. Therefore, if you do not take pictures, the only evidence of the condition may be your testimony.

Lastly, if you were injured on someone else’s property, a personal injury attorney can help you determine what to do after a slip and fall accident and whether you may be able to recover damages. In most cases, a person pursuing claims against a property owner for injuries arising out of a slip and fall accident will allege that the property owner was negligent. To prove negligence under Massachusetts law, you must prove that the property owner breached a duty of care and that the breach caused your fall and your subsequent harm.

Property owners have a duty to keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition. Thus, to show a property owner breached his or her duty, you must show that he or she knew of the dangerous condition that caused you to fall and failed to remedy the condition, or that the condition existed for long enough that he or she should have known. It is important not to delay speaking with an attorney following your accident, as any lawsuit arising out of a slip and fall accident must be filed within three years of the date of your fall.

Following a slip and fall accident, there are steps you should take to protect your health and preserve any claim you may be able to pursue against whoever is responsible for your harm. A knowledgeable injury attorney can evaluate the circumstances of your accident and what claims you may be able to set forth. At the Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, we are well versed in what it takes to prove a property owner’s liability, and will work tirelessly to help you pursue whatever compensation you may be owed. We proudly uphold a record of favorable outcomes and have obtained many damage awards in excess of one million dollars for our clients. We assist parties in personal injury matters in Cape Cod, and we are available to meet for consultations in Hyannis and Plymouth. You can contact us through our online form or at 888-262-6664 to set up a meeting.