Getting into any accident can be scary and you may have a mixture of emotions, including being in pain but also feeling mortified. Especially in slip and fall cases, a person may look around for validation after the accident or simply look around to see if anyone was watching. Immediately following a slip and fall, you may be thinking “Sheesh, I sure hope no one saw that!” If no one was around to see the accident happen then there’s nothing to be embarrassed about, right? A week down the road, however, when you realize that you have a more serious injury and need to pay for your medical bills, you may be wishing that there was someone there to witness what happened. When this is the case, what can you do?
Gathering the Right Kind of Evidence
Often, having an eyewitness who saw what happened is one of the best pieces of evidence when bringing forth a claim. With other personal injuries such as car accidents or pedestrian accidents, it is much more likely that someone else will be involved in the accident and can corroborate part of the story. However, a slip and fall can happen anytime, anywhere, whether there are others around or not.
Working With a Lawyer
It is crucial in these circumstances that you work with a lawyer you can trust, such as a Queens, NY slip and fall lawyer from a trusted law firm like Polsky, Shouldice & Rosen, P.C. A lawyer can be especially helpful when you need to formulate a case without any eyewitnesses. Your lawyer will suggest other evidence to help your claim, such as:
- Photos. If you were not unconscious after the fall, one of the best things you can do is take pictures or videos of the scene. You want to have these from every angle to show how the accident occurred and how negligence was involved.
- Surveillance footage. Just because another person was not there does not mean there aren’t other ways someone could see the slip and fall happen. If you were in a store or in a public area, there is a chance that security footage caught your slip and fall. This could bolster your claim.
- Medical treatment. If you go to see a doctor immediately following the accident, they can confirm you were injured and that your injuries are consistent with a slip and fall accident. Additionally, they can document your injuries and your treatment and help organize your medical information so that it is ready for your claim.
Having eyewitnesses to your slip and fall accident is ideal, but you have other options for gathering evidence. You do not need an eyewitness to have a successful slip and fall claim. When you are worried about winning your claim, do not rely on yourself to negotiate with insurance. Instead, rely on a lawyer who will fight on your behalf. Call to schedule your slip and fall accident consultation today.
