With the holiday season only a few months away, we will soon all be rushing around to do our Christmas shopping. We all know what that means, longer shopping hours, more products shoved in your face, and festive decorations everywhere. If the holidays weren’t such a magical time, you could be forgiven for going a little crazy at the mere thought of it all. With all of that going on, the last thing you need is to suffer a fall while trying to get everything done before the end of the day. If you slip and fall while you are out shopping, then you need to follow these five simple steps below:
Table of Contents
1. Check For Injuries
After suffering a fall, when going to buy your secret Santa gift, the first thing you need to do is check to see if you’re injured. You’re probably going to be in some pain after falling, but what you need to look for are signs of something worse than jump a slight bump or bruise. If it hurts too much to get up, rather stay on the floor and ask for someone to call for help.
2. Seek Medical Assistance
If you are in a great deal of pain or you are bleeding, you need to seek prompt medical assistance. Usually, by this time, the employees of the store have noticed what has happened, and the store manager should be on their way down. It is usually the store’s policy for them to call an ambulance or paramedics to assist.
3. Notify The Manager
If by this stage you have not been seen by the store manager, then you need to ask one of the store’s employees to immediately notify the manager. Slip and fall injuries are serious, so if the manager is a no-show, then that shows you what kind of store it is. Most slip and fall injuries aren’t necessarily caused by poor management, but they can affect the safety protocols that the store follows.
4. Document Evidence
After receiving medical care, you now need to start gathering evidence to support your claim. Ask for any camera footage that might be available of your incident, as well as statements from any nearby witnesses. Take photographs of anything you think may have caused you to fall – or at least contributed to it. Look for wet spots on the floor that were not labeled or unsecured cables that might have caused you to trip.
5. Consult An Attorney
Most stores will ask you to complete a few forms that document the incident, make sure that you read over each question carefully, and don’t allow the manager or employees of the store to bully you into answering in their favor. Once you’ve completed the reports and received medical attention for back pain, you can now consult with an attorney. Slip and fall injuries can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars going to medical care over the next few years, so make sure that you are covered for all eventualities.
Featured Photo by Heidi Fin on Unsplash
