What to do if you slip and fall at work?
Slip and falls are the number one cause of workers’ compensation claims. An estimated one out of every four work-related accidents result in a slip and fall. Of those incidents, 22% result in serious injury.
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, or become the victim of workplace premise liability, there are immediate steps you must take to help protect your legal rights. As with any injury, if you are involved in a workplace accident and require emergency medical attention, call 9-1-1 or have someone call 9-1-1 for you. Then, if able, follow these next steps:
- Report the accident to your supervisor within 30 days
If you are injured in the workplace, the first thing you should do is notify your supervisor. In the state of Florida, you only have 30 days from the date of the accident to report your workplace accident. Failure to report the slip and fall accident to your employer could hurt your chances of securing compensation for your injuries.
- Seek medical attention
Always go to the doctor or emergency room after suffering a slip and fall accident. Often times, injuries that result from slip and fall accidents, such as concussions, sprains and internal bleeding, can take days or even weeks to fully manifest. In most cases, you are not permitted to file an injury-related lawsuit in the state of Florida unless you visit a medical professional for injuries sustained in the accident. It’s important that you have the medical documentation of your injuries.
- Gather evidence of the scene
Again, if you are able, collect information and details about the accident scene. A great way to do this is to use your smartphone camera to take photos and videos and record the entire environment. If you are injured and unable to document the accident scene, your attorney will do so on your behalf.
- File workers’ compensation claim
After reporting the incident to your supervisor and seeking medical attention, you should be given forms for filing a workers’ compensation claim to be compensated for your injury. Often, the workers’ compensation insurance company will try to reduce your claim value or deny it completely. If this it happens, contacting a workers’ compensation attorney can help protect your rights.
- Hire an experienced attorney
Having an experienced attorney on your side after a slip and fall accident significantly increases your chances of getting the compensation you deserve.
