When you’re a parent, you typically take extreme measures just to make sure that your kid is safe at all times. You don’t want them to be injured in any way because you know that this will have drastic effects on their lives, both short and long-term. But no matter how much you try, if other people are not aware and safe enough, accidents can still happen. You unfortunately know this first hand because your kid was a victim of slip and fall injury. And because your kid was severely hurt because of what happened, you can’t let that simply slip – pun intended; you’ve decided to take things legally.
Having a goal in mind and knowing how to achieve it are two different things. Sure, you might know what you have to do in response to your kid’s slip and fall injury but do you actually know how to attain that goal? Filing a lawsuit is a tedious process, and you don’t want to get caught up in the process. To give you an idea of what can you do legally when your kid is a victim of slip and fall injury, consider the things below:
1. Medical attention: Regardless if there are no visible bruises and lacerations apparent on your kid’s body, it’s essential to seek medical attention right away.
- Never conclude that since your kid was able to stand up comfortably after slipping, she/he’s well and there was no harm done.
- Aside from keeping your kid from developing any serious health complications, seeking medical attention can help you obtain documents which can help in the lawsuit.
- You should be able to keep medical bills, doctor’s recommendations of tests and medicine prescription to prove that the injuries your child has were indeed severe.
- It’s not enough that you merely make an appointment to see the doctor. Any therapies recommended by the doctor should also be followed. Keep in mind that there are certain injuries which could worsen by the minute so if you and your kid don’t act immediately, your kid might face more significant challenges over time as a result of unaddressed health issues.
- Time is also crucial in this stage. If you fail to seek medical attention right away, the other party might have the notion that injuries sustained by the kid are not as serious as they may appear.
2. Report the accident: Even if the slip and fall accident happened in a public area, a friend’s house or a store, your kid (along with your help) should be able to report what happened.
- If your kid is still too young to speak and the accident happened when you were with them, report the accident on their behalf.
- The landlord, manager or owner of the establishment should be well-aware of what happened and how your kid was hurt while being inside their premises.
- But don’t leave once you report the accident – make sure that there is a written report and you have a copy of the document.
3. Document everything: You and your kid don’t have photographic memory and you might not remember details of the accident after a few days, that’s why it’s essential that you document everything.
- Get the names and contact details of the people who can be witnesses for the lawsuit. Their cooperation will go a long way in your kid’s slip and fall claim.
- Take pictures of where the accident happened and other factors which could lead to that area being hazardous. Were there any icy patches or broken stairs in the area? Were there warning signs available for passersby to see? All of these can help determine as to who is at fault for the accident.
- You and your child should also work together to jot down any details of how and why the accident happened. How your kid feels, along with the exact time and date of the accident is information which should be documented too.
- Any documents from the attending doctor and other authorities such as the police, should also be kept.
4. Decline to give a statement: Once people will know about what happened to your child, chances are, they’ll be asking you about the details. Yes, it can be tempting but giving statements can often become the reason for the situation to get worse.
- Avoid posting details of the accident on your social media. You should also teach your kid to do the same. Tell your kid to avoid discussing the topic to his or her peers, too.
- As the adult, you should strive to maintain communication with the property owner or manager only. Don’t go around town talking about this issue to just about any friend or acquaintance.
- Or if you want to be extra cautious with the communication, you can channel everything through a lawyer and have them talk on your behalf.
- Never speak with an insurance company until your attorney says that it’s okay to do so.
- Anything you say during this phase can be used against you and your kid. You might be meaning to say one thing but your message can be taken wrongly by people. Don’t place the blame on anybody and don’t take any. It’s much safer that way.
5. Call an attorney: You can take all your time to research to know better how to win a lawsuit but it’s best if you seek the help of an attorney who has years of experience in the industry, particularly with slip and fall injury suits, like the ones here. This will save you from all the stress you may experience when you’re attempting to tackle the lawsuit on your own.
- If you want to be sure that what you’re doing is in accordance to the law and will pave the way of your party winning the case, hire an attorney to work for you.
- Their fee might be costly, but it’ll give you the time off to take care of your kid without worrying too much about the progress of the lawsuit.
In conclusion
After reading this article, you might conclude that indeed, filing a lawsuit and winning it are not simple processes. But since your kid was hurt, you’re willing to take all of this risk just to sue the responsible party. If you think this is the best way to go about the situation you have right now, go ahead and do things legally. You can use the information from this article to know what to expect during the entire lawsuit battle. And once you’re equipped with this information, you’ll have better chances of winning the lawsuit!
About Author – Janine Penn
Janine Penn has been a law writer for more than a decade. She hopes to impart some of her wisdom to others through her written works. She is often reading a new book whenever she has the time.
