Slippery walkways, broken sidewalks and pavement, poorly maintained stairwells, unclean and littered floors, poorly lit hallways, and obstructions are just a few of the causes of slip and fall accidents in Florida.
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident in Lakeland or other Central Florida community caused by the negligence of a property owner or other party, Florida law gives you the right to seek compensation for the damages caused by your injuries. However, the amount of compensation you can recover could be reduced depending on the actions you take, and the words you say after the slip and fall accident that caused your injuries.
Avoid these “Fails” After a Slip and Fall Accident in Lakeland
Tania Rivas is an experienced Lakeland personal injury attorney who has represented many clients who have been injured in slip and fall accidents. She wants to warn those who are considering filing a personal injury claim for a slip and fall accident to avoid the following “fails” if they want to collect the maximum award for their injuries:
- Failing to report the accident. It’s important to report your slip and fall accident ASAP to the property owner or manager. If the accident happened at work, you have to follow your employer’s rules for reporting an accident; this usually involves contacting a supervisor or the HR department.
- Failing to seek medical attention after an accident. You should seek medical treatment as soon as possible after your slip and fall accident. By failing to seek medical attention, you will have a difficult time proving the extent of your injuries.
- Failing to file a claim in a timely manner. Florida has a strict statute of limitations law; in most cases, you have two years after the slip and fall accident took place in which to file a lawsuit. If you wait past the deadline, the courts may refuse to hear your case.
- Failing to collect evidence. The evidence you collect after your slip and fall accident (photos, incident reports, medical reports, names of witnesses, etc.) will be crucial in establishing proof of who was responsible for the accident as well as the extent of your damages.
- Failing to keep your mouth shut after the accident. You should only discuss your case with your attorney. Anything you say after an accident could be used against you by the insurance company. Never accept responsibility for the accident (you don’t know for sure that it was your fault) and never say that you “feel fine” after the accident (some types of injuries take days to manifest themselves) before you seek medical treatment. The same goes for social media postings.
- Failing to consider the total costs of your injuries. This is why slip and fall attorneys always advise people to never accept an initial settlement offer from an insurance company after they’ve been injured. These offers may sound tempting, but they rarely cover the total costs of your injuries — not just the medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages you’re dealing with right now, but the continuing costs of your slip and fall accident injuries as well.
- Failing to seek legal representation after the accident. This could be the biggest fail of all. All personal injury claims are complex and slip and fall accidents are no different. An experienced slip and fall injury attorney will be able to collect the evidence you will need to establish proof of your injuries and who was responsible. They’ll use this evidence to aggressively negotiate to get you the best settlement deal possible and go to trial, if necessary.
The Best Thing to Do After a Lakeland Slip and Fall Accident
If you’ve been injured in a Lakeland slip and fall accident, contact Tania Rivas at the Rivas Law Group without delay. She helps clients obtain the justice they deserve after being injured in an accident that was caused by the negligent actions of another. Tania is dedicated to recovering the maximum amount for the damages suffered by her clients, including present and ongoing medical expenses, lost wages and loss of income, pain, and suffering, and others.
Call Rivas Law Group today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your slip and fall accident injury case with Tania.
