What Should I do After I'm in a Premises Accident?

What follows is a quick to-do list if you are ever a party to such an accident but it is not an exhaustive one. Shortly after your premises accident, contact us and one of your experienced attorneys can walk you through exactly what you should be doing to maximize the value of your award at court.

• As soon as possible after the accident, record (take photos/videos if possible) your impressions of exactly what happened including environment layout, location of other people, how the incident unfolded, etc.
• List exactly what injuries and costs you incurred because of the incident including medical, income, and property.
• Note all ER/doctor visits, rehabilitative care, prescriptions, and medical devices you required because of the premises accident as well as your complete medical history.
• Send a letter to your employer (for a sample form, click here) verifying your income and calculate exactly how much lost wages and/or investments the premises accident caused you.
• If you used any insurance because of the incident, collect your insurance records. (If you need to file a claim with the other party's insurance carrier, click here for a sample insurance demand letter).
• Try and gather the names and contact information of the parties at the scene of the accident.
• Contact a qualified attorney so that he or she can begin an organized and thorough investigation as well as contact third parties on your behalf.
• Do not contact the owner of the premises or any other party that caused your injuries; this should be done by your attorney.

Deciphering your future success in court for a premises accident or any other kind of incident rests solely on the elements of your case. Typically, with premises liability lawsuits, your suit will be for negligence. Therefore, you must prove the following points at trial:

• The defendant owed you a duty.
• The defendant breached a duty.
• You suffered damages.
• The defendant's breach caused your damages.

Now, you must arrange the facts and laws of your circumstances to bolster all of these elements. If you are weak on any one of them, it could sabotage your right to recover for economic, non-economic, or any other kind of damages. However, with the help of our experienced team, you can sit down and carefully the strengths and weaknesses of your case to ensure that you recover the most amount of compensation possible under the law.