Brooklyn Slip and Fall Lawyer

What Should I Do After a Slip and Fall Accident?

Get Medical Attention, Stay Calm, and Call a Brooklyn Slip and Fall Attorney

Right after you’ve fallen, especially if you’re in public, you may be tempted to get up and walk it off because you’re embarrassed. However, you should seek immediate medical attention and call an experienced slip and fall lawyer in Brooklyn for advice.

Following the proper steps right after a fall can help ensure you’re eligible for a slip and fall claim.

Do Your Best to Stay Calm

You may be hurt, and it’s okay to cry, but try to avoid yelling and blaming the first person you see. You also should avoid making comments about your fall that imply it was somehow your fault. Anything you say after a slip and fall accident can be used to disprove your case.

Get Medical Attention

Don’t be afraid to call 911, especially if you feel dizzy or if you’ve hit your head. Soft tissue injuries and strains or sprains won’t show up right away, but EMS workers are trained to diagnose those properly. Similarly, concussions won’t necessarily be obvious at first, but can later become serious head injuries.

Remember, if you don’t see a doctor, the insurance company can claim that you weren’t actually hurt, or were not hurt as badly as you actually were.

Document Your Condition and the Scene of the Slip and Fall Accident

Have a store manager or person in charge fill out an accident report describing the conditions where you fell. They’ll also take note of the employees who were working at the time. Plus, having the contact information for the business may help our Brooklyn slip and fall lawyer obtain video surveillance tapes. Try to collect contact information for anyone who witnessed your fall. Our attorney can reach out to them to substantiate your claim.

Contact a Reliable Slip and Fall Lawyer in Brooklyn

The quicker you contact our slip and fall attorney in Brooklyn, the better chance we’ll have to gather evidence to help solidify your claim for damages and medical care. You can reach our team at (212) 563-1900.

Am I at Fault for a Slip and Fall?

To establish negligence on the part of the New York property owner for public or private property, and therefore substantiate liability for your accident and subsequent injuries, your Brooklyn slip and fall lawyer will have to prove three things:

• The property owner caused the dangerous conditions that led to your fall.
• They knew about hazardous conditions and opted not to fix them.
• They should have known about the dangerous conditions because a reasonable person would have noticed and fixed them.

A few other factors determine slip and fall liability. How long the location was potentially dangerous is one. For instance, it can be hard for a property owner to shovel and de-ice walkways and stairs in the middle of a snowstorm.

Other factors include the property owner’s protocol for inspecting the general area and how the hazard could have been fixed or otherwise remedied before the accident.

However, there are a few factors that the other party’s insurance company may claim made you at fault for your spill:

• You wore flimsy footwear or unsupportive shoes.
• You were in a hurry.
• You were distracted, using your phone, or not paying attention.
• You ignored posted signage warning of hazardous conditions.

When these situations apply, you may have a harder time proving your claim.

Our Brooklyn Slip and Fall Lawyer Negotiates with Insurance Companies on Your Behalf

When pursuing a slip and fall injury claim, your attorney isn’t usually dealing directly with the property owner, but rather with their insurance company. Insurance companies prefer to deny claims made by plaintiffs or settle for as little as possible.

Often, in clear-cut negligence cases, the insurance company will offer a fast settlement. But many slip and fall accidents require ongoing medical care after the initial diagnosis. All medical bills from your slip and fall injury should be covered under your settlement.

If you settle too fast, your medical care will come out of your own pocket. Our slip and fall lawyer in Brooklyn will strengthen your claim to help ensure your settlement is adequate to cover additional treatment.

FAQs about Brooklyn Slip and Fall Accidents

Common Questions our Brooklyn Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers Hear from Clients

When you’re hurt after taking a fall, you could have a legal claim if your fall was caused by someone’s negligence. You may wonder how a legal case works after a slip and fall accident in Brooklyn. If you suffered severe injuries, you may wonder where to turn, be concerned about medical bills, be worried about lost wages, and wonder how you can get the most compensation possible. Our Brooklyn slip and fall accident lawyers are here to answer any questions you may have after a nasty fall. Here are a few we regularly hear.

• What is the statute of limitations for a slip and fall?

  In New York, you have three years from the date of the incident to file a claim.

• How much is my Brooklyn slip and fall accident settlement worth?

  Each case is different, but the average slip and fall case settles for $10,000 to $50,000.

• How much will a slip and fall lawyer in Brooklyn cost?

  Many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, where they’re paid a portion of a winning settlement only.

• How long will it take to settle my slip and fall case?

  Our lawyer will often want you to complete your medical treatment before filing a claim to ensure that they have an accurate dollar amount for your medical fees and compensate you for any time missed at work.