By: The Law Offices of James Jean-Francois, P.A. February 14, 2024

How to Document a Slip and Fall Accident for Legal Purposes

Immediately Report the Incident

Reporting your slip and fall accident is the first step in properly documenting the incident. This act can look very different depending on the circumstances of your situation. If you’re in a private business, you can typically report the accident to management. Make sure you ask to fill out an incident report. Also, make sure you request a copy as well.

If you’re harmed in a public place or at a residence, your best bet is to call local authorities for assistance. This is particularly true if you know you’ve suffered minor or serious injuries. This will result in a report being filed that documents the incident. If you can’t wait for authorities and have to rush to the hospital, make sure you’re clear to medical personnel about what happened.

Take Photographs and Collect Information

If you’re able — or if a friend or family member can help — do your best to document your slip and fall accident on the scene. This means taking photos of the hazardous condition that caused your accident. You should also collect contact information from witnesses.

You’ll also want to note information about the accident scene. When and where did your fall occur? What were the weather conditions? Was lighting sufficient? What hazards were present? All of this is critical for documenting a slip and fall accident for legal purposes.

Seek Medical Attention

While visiting the hospital might not sound like a step in documenting a slip and fall accident, it’s actually one of the most critical actions you’ll take. This is first important to establish that harm has occurred. Merely falling due to another party’s negligence will not make you eligible for compensation. You’ll need proof to establish that you actually suffered harm.

Seeking medical attention is about more than just getting the treatment you need. Doing it establishes a documented trail of evidence that can help prove your case. Hang onto test results, doctor’s notes, medical bills, and every other form of documentation you receive. Also, make sure you abide by all doctor orders to improve your odds of maximum compensation.

Keep a Journal

Many people keep diaries and journals where they share their thoughts and experiences. Following a slip and fall accident, this can be an integral strategy for establishing evidentiary documentation. However, this journal shouldn’t focus on your hopes, dreams, and thoughts of the day. Instead, focus on how the accident is affecting your life.

Start by fully documenting your recollection of events. After this, take notes when you do anything related to or your life is affected in any way due to your injury. Are you missing out on work because of your injury or required medical visits? Are you unable to play with your children due to severe pain? Are you having to hail an Uber because you can’t drive?

Regardless of how mundane something might seem, writing it in a journal creates powerful documentation after a slip and fall accident.

Consult With An Attorney

After suffering a slip and fall accident, one of the most important things you can do is speak with a legal professional. How does this help document your accident? In many ways. The simple fact is that it’s difficult for injury victims to fully document their accidents. In many cases, they’re injured or panicked. At times, they simply might not know what to document.

This is when having a slip and fall attorney can prove invaluable. A legal professional knows how to track down evidence, what evidence is important, what juries will look for, and many other important factors. At The Law Offices of James Jean-Francois, P.A., we’ll work diligently to ensure you receive fair compensation.