If you get into a car accident, you can call the police. They’ll come, do a thorough investigation, and write up their police report. If you get hurt at work, you let your Human Resources department know and they’ll draw up an incident report. However, when you fall in a restaurant or department store, what are you supposed to do to document the incident? If you’ve never been involved in a premises liability accident, then you may have no idea what you’re supposed to do.
But don’t worry, it’s really not that difficult. The most important thing to remember when you get hurt on commercial property is the following:
- Don’t move. You could hurt yourself even worse. Have a friend or someone in the store go find a store manager.
- Report the accident to the store manager. They’ll call to make sure an ambulance can come and take you to the hospital.
- Fill out an accident or incident report. This will document your fall.
- Take pictures or have someone take them for you. These pictures should be of both your injuries and the location where you fell
- Go to the emergency room. You need to get checked out and see if you’ve been injured.
As long as you do these things, you should have a good chance of recovering for your injuries. But if you don’t protect yourself, there’s a good chance you won’t get the compensation you deserve. This is why we recommend that you talk to a premises liability lawyer in Atlanta right away. They can guide you through the entire process.
What Kind of Information is in the Incident Report for a Premises Liability Accident?
The incident report at a department store is similar to that at your job. It asks for the basic information behind the fall. For example, it’s going to require you to fill out the following information:
- Your name and contact information
- A brief description of the accident or incident
- The names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the event
- Any pictures you may have taken of the accident
The form will also have a section regarding your medical treatment. It’s going to ask if you wish to decline treatment. Never do this. This will seriously jeopardize your chances of recovery. You need to go to the emergency room. They’ll check to see if you’ve been hurt. They’ll also provide the medical treatment you need.
They ask this question so they can be left off the hook. If you deny treatment, they’ll argue that you must not have been all that hurt. They’ll also claim that you didn’t mitigate damages by refusing medical treatment. Even if you don’t think you’re seriously hurt, you still want to get checked out by a doctor.
Don’t Let Your Pride Cost you a Lawsuit
A lot of people feel embarrassed when they fall in public. You don’t want to be a burden or trouble anybody. You may also hope that nobody saw what happened. In reality, this would be the worst thing that could happen. You want someone to see what happened. This way, they can be a witness to your premise’s liability accident.
It’s hard enough to prove your case. The last thing you want to do is make things harder for yourself and your Atlanta personal injury attorney. If someone saw what happened, try to get their name and contact information. Include this information on your incident or accident form. This way, your lawyer can talk to them later if need be.
Call a Lawyer in Atlanta to Handle Your Premises Liability Accident
If you fall at a grocery or department store, you may be embarrassed. You may try to play it off as if you’re fine. You hate the idea of people staring at you. You may also want to just get on with your day and finish your shopping. This is a big mistake. If you do this, then your Atlanta personal injury lawyer won’t be able to get you the damages you deserve.
You should call a law firm that deals with premises liability accident claims right away. An attorney will sit down and talk about what happened. You can show them a copy of the incident form. You can also show them a copy of your medical records. If they believe you have a legitimate claim for damages, they’ll let you know.
The initial consultation is absolutely free and you pay nothing until you settle your case. You really have nothing to lose. So call today and talk to someone in our office about setting up your first appointment.
