Slip and fall accidents are a leading cause of injuries . Nearly 9 million people visit hospitals and ER rooms as a result of slip or trip and fall accidents every year. They are also one of the most common reasons for taking time off from work. Injuries sustained in such accidents can range from minor bruises, cuts and sprains to serious spinal and neck injuries, traumatic brain injuries, hip/rib/skull/extremities fractures, dental and facial damage, long-term disability or even death.

Apart from the physical aspects, such injuries cause enormous financial and emotional issues too, which affect victims and their families.

Accidents are caused by someone’s fault or negligence. Property owners in Canada have a duty to ensure the safety of their premises, failing which they can be held liable for damages suffered by injured people.

Consult an experienced Woodstock personal injury lawyer if you or a dear one has sustained injuries in a slip and fall accident. You may be entitled to compensation.

Claiming Compensation

Slip and fall accidents can be challenging in terms of the complex legal, medical and insurance issues involved. The amount of compensation that can be achieved is determined by several factors including the age and general health status of the victim, establishment of fault/negligence, impact of injuries, whether there was any carelessness on the part of the victim, etc.

There are strict time limitations within which claims and suits have to be brought against at-fault parties.

The right defendant has to be identified because property-ownership and liability can be quite complicated.

Establishing the connection between the accident, causal factors, negligence, the injuries, their impact on the victim and the expenses incurred as a result can be a daunting task. Some Woodstock personal injury lawyers handle such cases exclusively and they are best suited to assist you.

Steps To Take

In the immediate aftermath of a fall, people are confused and in pain and compensation may be the last thing on their minds. However, these are also the most crucial moments in terms of personal injury law.

• Report the accident immediately to someone in authority and get an acknowledgment
• Get medical attention without delay, no matter how minor you assume your injuries to be
• Contact a personal injury lawyer who deals with such claims as soon as possible: There are different time-limits for notifying private/public/municipal properties
• Take cellphone pictures of exact location, injuries, cause of accident, prominent landmarks with time and date stamp: Things change or can be changed/destroyed/replaced/repaired over time
• Preserve all clothing, footwear worn at the time – property-owners often argue that it was your inappropriate clothing/footwear that contributed to the fall
• Follow all medical advice scrupulously
• Keep a meticulous record of all expenses incurred in connection with the accident
• Never conduct negotiations directly with property-owners, apologize or make statements like “I should have seen that!”
• Never provide recorded statements, submissions  or permissions to access your confidential information or sign documents without your personal injury lawyer’s knowledge/advice
• Avoid social media presence for the duration of your claim/suit

These tips can help your Woodstock personal injury lawyer to help you achieve the compensation you rightly deserve!