How To Document A New Haven Slip And Fall Accident

When a New Haven slip and fall accident happens you might become disorientated and if you are seriously injured you may need to seek medical attention. This is the first step you should take, but it is not the last step. You will want to make sure you have documented the incident carefully and thoroughly so you can have a record of what happened at the scene and what the scene looked like when the accident happened.

Document the scene of a slip and fall accident can be challenging as conditions may change and you may not be able to demonstrate exactly what the situation was when you fell and became injured. This is why it is important to understand that there are a variety of different ways you should document the incident. Taking multiple steps for documentation will allow you to provide authorities and your legal team a complete picture of what happened when you were injured. If you leave out any of the pieces of this documentation you may be leaving out key information that could bolster your claim of negligence on the person or property where you were injured.

Taking steps to document your incident should come after you seek medical attention for any injuries that you might have. Seeking medical attention is a critical first step to making sure you are able to tell the whole story of your incident. Even if you have to skip documenting the incident so you can seek medical attention you should do that because your health and well being are far more important then anything you can do at the scene of the accident. If you are able to stand on your own and be present enough to document what happened, then you should do so with care not to irritate an injury that you may have from the accident.

Once you’ve been able to seek medical attention you will want to begin documenting the incident that you have experienced. This is important so you can provide a complete picture of the incident in the event that you are working towards holding someone liable for the accident. If this is the case you will want to have as much documentation as you can provide. There are three main things you will want to do to insure complete coverage of the incident.

1.) Take photos. This has become so much easier now that we all have cameras in our pocket and you should put that camera to good use. Take pictures of the area where you fell, including close-ups. You will want to pay particular attention to the hazard that may have caused your accident including a raised sidewalk, slippery stairs, debris, etc. so it is clear what caused you to slip and fall. Make sure your photos are clear. You will want to take photos from multiple angles and from up-close as well as a wide photo of the entire scene.

2.) Write down your account of the incident. You will want to do this as soon as you possibly can so you do not forget anything that happened. As time passes, our memories become a little muddled with details and you want your account to be as clear as possible. Make sure to be detailed with things like the date and time of the incident, the precise location of the incident and what happened leading up to the incident. You will also want to document any injuries you have experienced as the result of the accident and what it means for you moving forward, if you have that information.

3.) Identify and speak with witnesses. Before you leave the scene, you may want to ask around and see if there is anyone who witnessed the incident. If you find people who saw what happened you may want to take a statement from them as well. You should ask them if they would be willing to be a witness to the incident. If they agree you will want to make sure to get their names and contact information so that if you decide to pursue a claim you can use their statements.

Documenting the scene of a New Haven slip and fall accident can be challenging, but it is an important step in making sure you are able to file a claim if your incident rises to that level. You should be compensated for your injuries and mental anguish that a slip and fall may cause you and if you don’t document it well enough you may find that you are not able to provide a clear picture of the incident to those that need to understand what happened and may not have been there when the incident occurred. If you are not too severely injured take the time to capture everything you can about the scene so you can make your situation easier down the road.

Contact our office if you’ve been injured as the result of a slip and fall accident and one of our experienced attorneys can review your situation.