What to Do If You Slip and Fall at the Grocery Store

Whether you’re grabbing a few things for dinner or groceries for the entire week, you never expect a trip to the store to end at the hospital. Unfortunately, however, millions of Americans wind up at the emergency department every year after slipping and falling while running errands.

A minor incident might leave you with nothing more than a bruised ego, but a more serious fall could cause devastating injuries. If you were hurt in such a scenario and you’re not sure how to proceed, read on. By taking the following steps, you may be able to put together a compelling personal injury claim, so you can hold the establishment liable for your losses:

1. Preserve Evidence from the Scene

There’s a good chance the accident was captured by surveillance cameras overlooking the aisle where you fell. You’re going to want to request a copy of the footage right away, however, because it will likely be overwritten in a matter of weeks.

Assuming you alerted employees of the accident before leaving the store, the manager on duty should have drafted an incident report. You’re going to want to obtain a copy of this document, as well, because it proves that the accident did, in fact, occur.

2. Visit a Doctor

Just because you were able to walk away from the scene doesn’t mean you weren’t seriously hurt. It’s imperative to seek medical care as soon as possible after slipping and falling to prevent complications from arising.

Visiting a doctor right away will also ensure there’s a legitimate paper trail linking the accident in question to the injuries you end up claiming. This will make it much harder for the opposing party to dispute causation, which is one of the critical elements of every successful personal injury claim.

3. Document All Associated Damages

You should be able to seek compensation for virtually all the expenses you wouldn’t have incurred had you not gotten hurt; however, you can only recover funds for losses you can prove you actually incurred, so start logging them diligently from day one. Save all associated documentation, including bills, receipts, and invoices, to ensure your claim will be as strong as possible.

4. Start Writing in a Journal

Daily journal entries are one of the most widely accepted ways to demonstrate non-economic damages like pain and suffering, mental anguish, and diminished quality of life. That means if you want to seek every dollar you deserve, you should start writing about the challenges you face as a result of your injuries as soon as possible after the accident.

Discuss Your Claim with a Premises Liability Lawyer in Stuart

If you ended up at the hospital after what was supposed to be a simple errand, turn to Donaldson & Weston to see if you might have grounds for legal action. We have helped more than 10,000 clients seek justice. Call 772-266-5555 or submit the Contact Form on our website to schedule a free initial consultation with a premises liability attorney in Stuart.