A lot of people want nothing more than to get up and move on after slipping and falling. They may not take account of their physical well-being, and leave the accident scene without reporting it to the property owner or manager. Then they get home and start to feel pain and discover bruising and other injuries, and start to wonder if they should report the accident.

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to report the incident immediately. Ideally, you should notify the property owner immediately after a slip and fall accident. But if you did not report it, it is not too late.

What Should You Do After You Realize You Have an Injury From a Slip and Fall?

First, get medical attention. Go to your doctor, an urgent care center, or the emergency room, whichever is appropriate under the circumstances.

Second, when it is medically appropriate, contact the property owner or manager, and make a report. Your accident report should be in writing, so you can prove that you made them aware of what happened.

If the property owner or manager has an incident report form, fill that out and ask for a copy. If there is no pre-made incident report available, write out an incident report, give it to the property owner or manager, and keep a copy for yourself.

Any incident report should include the following:

  • When you fell – the date and approximate time.
  • Where you fell – the address, name of the business, and description of the precise spot, such as in the lobby near the elevators, for example.
  • Why you fell – what caused you to slip — for example, you stepped in a puddle of water and slipped. Note whether there were any signs in the area warning of the wet floor.
  • How you are feeling – a detailed account of all your symptoms, such as the location of everywhere that you have pain, stiffness, throbbing, redness, and anything else you have noticed.

Also, be sure to write down when you reported the incident and who you reported it to.

Read our blog on what you should do after a slip and fall, which includes reporting the accident.

If you suffered serious injuries, call us to set up a consultation about your case. Insurance companies defend slip and fall cases aggressively. Work with a premises liability lawyer to protect your rights. Call the Law Office of Jason R. Schultz, PC today at 404-474-0804.