If you’re lucky, the recent cold snap left you with nothing worse than an unusually large home heating bill. If you weren’t as lucky, you might have been injured and considering legal action in a slip and fall accident lawsuit.
Maybe it happened while you were out shopping. Maybe you were dropping your child off at school. Maybe you were keeping a professional appointment. In any of those scenarios, you could reasonably expect that the accessways to the building were safe to walk on. It’s likely that the facility management believed they were.
One of the problems is the extreme cold. Rock salt and other chemical agents that are used to keep our roads, sidewalks and other thoroughfares clear of ice many times doesn’t work as well in extremely low temperatures. That is one main reason why, despite possibly everyone’s best intentions, you ended up on your back with your wind knocked out of you and your dignity following closely behind it. It feels awful, but that’s the moment when you have to keep your head. It’s important after you attend to your injury, for you to record the circumstances and details of the accident as best you can.
Even if you are able to get up and walk away from the incident, you may have injuries that do not fully manifest until later. You may, for example, wake up in your bed the next morning and discover that you’re unable to roll over or support your own weight without excruciating pain in your back. The extreme cold is no excuse for those responsible for keeping the walkways clear of ice. There are many additional measures that can be taken to eliminate ice in very low temperatures. They are often costlier and time consuming, which may prompt some property owners or managers to forego them.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident
Report the accident to the people in charge of the property. Try to obtain contact information for anyone who may have seen you slip and fall. In most cases it may be the best practice to call the police or paramedics to file a report and of course check you for any injury. If possible take photos of the accident scene and see your physician or other qualified medical professional as soon as possible. Finally, contact a personal injury attorney to seek legal action in a slip and fall accident lawsuit against those responsible for your injury.
Your attorney will be in the best position to tell you whether you have a case and how long it might take to receive a judgment or settlement. In many cases, it can take months or even years. In the meantime, you still have bills to pay. If your injuries have impacted your ability to provide for yourself or your family, your next call should be to USClaims.
At USClaims, we offer pre-settlement funding, if a case is qualified for pre-settlement funding then we would purchase a portion of the proceeds of the anticipated court judgment or settlement for some cash now. USClaims only gets paid if a case is won or has reached a settlement! Apply now or call us today at 1-877-USCLAIMS to learn more.
