What Should You Do?

If you slip and fall in a building, on a sidewalk or stairways and suffer serious injury, it is important to know what to do. This is especially true if there are cracks, uneven flooring, torn carpeting or other hazards that caused your fall.

Here are the steps you should take:

• Get medical treatment. Whenever an injury is serious, such as broken bones or a concussion you should get medical treatment right away. Treatment can help prevent your condition from worsening and can help you recover more quickly. Medical treatment also documents the date of injury and its seriousness, which is valuable evidence when pursuing a slip and fall case.
• Keep records and documentation. If anyone witnessed your fall, and you are not too injured, get the witnesses’ names, addresses and contact information. Take pictures of the area where you fell and take pictures of your injury, damaged clothing, etc. Write down the time, date and details of the accident. Save any damaged clothing as evidence. Keep medical records of the treatment you receive including bills, instructions, etc.
• Contact a lawyer. Speak with an experienced attorney and explain what happened. Do this as soon as possible so there is ample time to file a claim, preserve evidence and recover compensation. 
• Do not discuss your case with others. Unless your attorney says it is okay, do not discuss your accident with anyone. Speak with an attorney before talking to an insurance company agent. Do not post information about your accident on social media. Follow your attorney’s advice about what you should do and not do so as not to compromise your case.

Under New York Civil Practice Laws and Rules § 214(5), you have three years from the date of your slip and fall accident to file a lawsuit against the negligent party. However, if you fell on municipal property, you have a much shorter time to file a claim, a matter of months, not years. You should seek legal assistance immediately.

Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP has extensive experience handling slip and fall cases. We offer a free consultation to evaluate your circumstances and discuss the prospects of pursuing legal action.