Whether grabbing groceries, visiting a friend, or dining out, it’s reasonable to assume the establishments and apartment complexes you go to are free of hazards. While owners and occupiers have an obligation to ensure as much, however, that doesn’t mean they always do.
If you slipped and fell on someone else’s property but you think the accident could have easily been prevented, you may be able to sue for damages. To give your action the best chance of yielding a payout, take the following steps as soon as possible:
1. Visit a Doctor
Even if you were able to walk away from the scene of the accident, you should seek medical care as soon as possible. Treating all your injuries right away will reduce the risk of complications down the road. It will also create a legitimate paper trail, which will help you prove causation later during the proceedings.
2. Preserve Evidence from the Scene
If you have any evidence from the scene, put it in a safe place. This might include photos of the hazard in question, statements from those who saw what happened, and the official incident report.
3. Track Injury-Related Expenses
Texas allows slip and fall victims to seek compensation for virtually all the losses they incur as a result of their injuries—as long as they can prove them. To ensure you’ll be able to pursue the maximum payout possible, save all the documentation that corresponds with your injury-related expenses. This might include hospital bills, health insurance statements, paystubs logging missed work, pharmacy receipts, and invoices for domestic help and/or reasonably necessary home and vehicle modifications.
4. Start a Journal
Detailed journal entries can help prove the extent of your non-economic damages like pain and suffering. Personal injury attorneys advise clients to start keeping a daily journal as soon as possible after the accident. Write about how your condition is affecting your quality of life, and include specific examples of the everyday hurdles you now face.
5. Seek Legal Counsel
The sooner you enlist legal help, the sooner you can start building your claim. While it’s possible to represent yourself over the course of the proceedings, a resourceful slip and fall lawyer will be able to handle all the logistics of your claim so you can focus on more important matters.
Your attorney will also keep you from making critical mistakes early on that might otherwise jeopardize your ability secure a satisfactory settlement or verdict. For example, they won’t let the insurance adjuster manipulate you into giving a premature recorded statement or accepting an unfair payout.
Discuss Your Claim with a Slip and Fall Lawyer in Houston
If you’re recovering from serious injuries that you sustained on someone else’s property, turn to Chelsie King Garza, P.C. for help determining how best to proceed. A compassionate lawyer who’s devoted to advocating for those who have been wronged, Chelsie has been in the legal field for more than 18 years. To schedule your free case review with a slip and fall attorney in Houston, complete her Contact Form online or call 713-893-8808.
