The steps you should take if you were injured in a slip and fall accident
If you were injured in a slip and fall accident, you should seek medical attention right away. If the accident occurred in a store or other commercial location, you should notify the managers or owners of the business at the location where you fell. You may be required to complete an incident report detailing the events that led to the accident.
Be aware of the fact that in New Jersey, the managers or owners of the property where you fell are under no obligation to give you a copy of the incident report. Therefore, prior to submitting the incident report to an employee of the property where you suffered a fall, make a copy of the report to keep with your records. You can make a copy by using a smartphone or other electronic device to photograph each page of the incident report. The report should contain a detailed explanation of the incident.
Although there is no requirement that you complete an incident report, it can be helpful in the future if you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover any damages arising out of the injuries you suffered because of the incident. In addition, you should notice whether there are any video cameras in the vicinity of where the incident took placed. In the event that there are cameras, you should immediately consult an attorney, who can then make a written request to the property managers or owners for surveillance footage of the incident.
Within a short time of the incident, you should also take pictures of the precise location where you fell. Take photographs of any conditions that may have been a contributing factor in your fall, including the floor, the railing, the steps and any liquid on the floor. Furthermore, it would be helpful to obtain the names and contact information for anyone who witnessed your fall, including an independent witness who can support your version of what caused you to fall. A store employee who saw you fall is less likely to corroborate your account of what happened. The employees, managers and owners of the property where you fell will attempt to reduce any liability on their part for the incident. Therefore, it is imperative that you secure legal representation as soon as possible.