What To Do After a Slip and Fall Accident in Washington, DC
If you slip and fall in Washington, D.C., get medical treatment, report the accident, take pictures of what caused you to fall and get contact information from anyone who saw what happened.
These steps are especially important after a serious injury because the evidence can change quickly. A spill can be cleaned up, ice can melt and a dangerous condition can be repaired.
Here’s what to do after a slip and fall accident in D.C.:
1. Get Medical Treatment
If you are hurt, get checked out as soon as possible.
Some injuries are obvious right away. Others, especially injuries to your back, neck, head or knees, may become more painful over the next few hours or days.
Getting medical treatment also creates a record of your injuries and when they happened.
2. Report the Slip and Fall
If you fell at a store, restaurant, apartment building or another property, tell the owner, manager or employee what happened.
Ask them to make a report of the accident and get the correct name and contact information for the business or property.
Keep your explanation simple. You do not need to guess about what caused your fall or say you are fine when you do not know yet.
3. Take Pictures of What Caused You to Fall
Take pictures or video of the exact area where you fell if you are able to.
This can be especially important after a slip and fall because the condition may not look the same later. A spill can be cleaned up, ice can melt and a broken or uneven surface can be repaired.
Take pictures of what caused you to fall and a few wider pictures of the surrounding area so it is clear where the accident happened.
4. Get Contact Information From Witnesses
If someone saw you fall, get their name and contact information.
The same goes for someone who saw the dangerous condition before your accident. Their account of what they saw may become important later.
5. Be Careful Talking to the Insurance Company
You may hear from an insurance company after reporting your accident.
They may ask how the fall happened, what injuries you suffered or whether you had previous injuries. You may still be in pain or not know the full extent of your injuries yet.
6. Contact Donahoe Kearney After a Serious Slip and Fall in DC
If you were seriously injured in a slip and fall accident in Washington, D.C., do not wait to get help.
Attorney Frank Kearney has more than 30 years of experience helping people after serious injuries. At Donahoe Kearney, we can look at what happened, deal with the insurance company and help you understand what comes next.
Call us at 202-393-3320 or contact our team about your slip and fall accident.
Aja’s Slip and Fall Injury
Our client Aja worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) when she slipped and fell at work, seriously injuring her knee and shoulder. She tore her meniscus and needed surgery.
Attorney Frank Kearney helped Aja with her D.C. workers’ compensation case and reached a resolution she called a blessing.
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