I Fell in a Store, What Should I do?
What should you do when you slip and fall in a store? Sometimes accidents happen, even when you’re shopping in a store. If you were injured as a result of falling in a store, it’s possible to get compensation for your injuries.
In order for this to happen, you need to prove that the item or condition that caused you to fall was dangerous, and the person who owned or operated the store either knew or should have known about this, but failed to fix it (negligence from the owner).
Weston Law can explain all of your options in detail. We are an experienced law firm based in Minnesota, and have had many slip and fall accident cases already.
But what should you do if you get involved in a slip and fall accident in a store? Here are some of the things you can do if this happened to you.
What to Do if You Slip and Fall in a Store
Remain Calm
The first thing that you should do is always remain calm. Panicking doesn’t help at all. Take a deep breath, remain calm and think logically about the things you should be doing next.
It can also be common for people to feel embarrassed after a slip and fall accident, but these things happen. It’s best to ignore these feelings, and carry on with the necessary actions.
Seek Medical Care
If you break a bone or you have any other obvious injuries, it’s important to seek medical care immediately. Even if you are not in extreme pain, it is certainly possible that you have sustained a serious injury that you aren’t aware of.
Always Report the Accident
If you got hurt due to a fall in a store, it’s important that you report the accident as fast as possible. There should be an authority (like a store manager) in the store, that you should inform.
If the store has an accident report, fill one out. Otherwise, you can also write down the store manager’s email address and send a written letter describing the accident.
Personally document as much as you can
It’s always a good idea to have as much personal evidence in the form of documentation as possible.
Here are some documents that can certainly help with your case:
– Ask for a copy of the accident report
It’s a good idea to ask for a copy of the accident report to the store manager. The accident report should contain all necessary info. It will contain a detailed description of the slip and fall, as well as the date, time and location.
– Ask for a copy of surveillance video footage:
This won’t be possible all the time, but it’s a great idea to ask the manager for a copy of the surveillance video footage as well.
If the accident was caught on film, it can provide supporting evidence that there were dangerous conditions that responsible parties should have been aware of.
– Take Photographs in the store
Take some pictures of the location where you fell. If you are badly injured, you can also ask someone else to take photos of you.
It’s important to take pictures immediately. A store manager or employee might repair the dangerous condition right away. For example, the floor was slippery because of a puddle of water. Take a picture before someone cleans it.
– Gather Witness Information
Sometimes there are witnesses in the store that saw you fall. Write down that person’s name and contact information.
If that person is willing, you can also ask them to write down or record what he or she saw. Gathering witness information while the memory is still fresh can provide important evidence of why the fall has happened.
Contact an attorney
The store can have people working looking after their best interests. It’s important to find someone to look after yours. Luckily, our experienced Weston Law attorneys can help guide you through the process.
Contact our Minnesota Slip and Fall Attorneys Today
You can always get in touch with our slip & fall attorneys at Weston Law. Our lawyers can call the store owner and request that the evidence is preserved.
If you fell in a store and got hurt, please call our attorneys at 612-465-9049
