What Happens If You Get a Personal Injury at a Commercial Property?

Featured image by RODNAE Productions via Pexels

Whenever you visit a commercial property, be it a store, a restaurant, a car dealership, or an ice cream parlor, you expect the premises to be clean and safe for you and anyone else who goes there. However, it may happen that you get a personal injury while at a commercial property. You may require medical care to recover your health. If so, you may also require the services of a personal injury lawyer who will help you fight for the compensation you deserve. At the very least, you should expect compensation to cover the expenses associated with taking care of your injuries.

You May Be Entitled to Compensation

Many businesses carry insurance policies precisely for cases where people receive injuries at their premises. They may consider this expense as a risk associated with running their business.

If you are injured at a commercial property, you may be entitled to compensation. However, there are some steps you must take in order to be able to hold the property owner or manager accountable for negligence that led to your injuries. Here is what you should do.

Seek Medical Attention If You Get a Personal Injury

Your priority after being injured should always be to take care of your health. Get medical attention as soon as possible and follow all of your doctor’s instructions. If the injuries are so severe that you cannot leave on your own, call 911 to get an ambulance to take you to the nearest emergency room. Wait for paramedics to arrive. Do not attempt to move if you fear you may have a neck or back injury.

Even if you feel the injuries are minor, you must get a medical checkup. Some injuries may not be immediately obvious. Others may imply damage to internal organs, and still others may take hours or days to present themselves.

Also, you will find it difficult to claim that you are suffering because of your injuries when you never sought help for it from a medical professional.

Gather Evidence About Your Personal Injury

While still at the scene of the slip and fall, it is important to document it. Take pictures of the unsafe conditions that caused you to slip and injure yourself. Take pictures of anything else that may have contributed to the accident. For example, there could have been dim lighting, wobbly stair railings, uneven floors, or threadbare carpeting. If there is debris or clutter on the floor, photograph that as well.

Ask the manager for copies of videos from surveillance cameras. Be sure to get them before the security staff erases them. Take pictures of your injuries and of their progress as they heal.

Interview Witnesses

There is nothing more valuable than having the account of someone who was present as you sustained the accident that led to your personal injury. When you get their statements, you will have someone who will back up your story. They will confirm that you are not liable for the accident that resulted in your injury.

A witness will help your lawyer build up a strong case to defend you since they are unbiased and can help in proving that you are not lying about what took place. Get their contact information and ask them if they took any pictures of the accident they could send to you. Your lawyer may need to reach out to them in the future if you decide to file a claim.

Notify the Owner or Manager

If no one at the business saw what happened to you, let an employee know about your personal injury as soon as possible. Many businesses may have in place procedures to report an accident. Also, many insurance policies call for an official accident report.

The employee may ask you to answer some questions. You should also take down the employee’s name and get a copy of the report. Never admit fault and avoid going into too much detail about what happened or about your injuries. You do not want to end up incriminating yourself.

Hire Legal Representation

Having a legal professional who can listen to your story and let you know whether you have a case against the business owner is crucial when you are trying to recover compensation. They can help you file a lawsuit that will hold the negligent parties accountable. They will also gather all evidence and conduct a thorough investigation into the accident. A personal injury lawyer can help you navigate the intricacies of the legal system and build a strong case for your defense. They can also help you place a value on your case and tell you what you are entitled to recover.

Business owners should consider this article fair warning to keep your premises as free of hazards as possible at all times.