If you have recently suffered a slip and fall on someone else's property, you know how devastating it can be. Depending on the extent of your injuries, you may have experienced an extended stay in the hospital as well as significant time off of work. This can become extremely costly. It may be in your best interest to consider speaking to a personal injury attorney and start building a case against the property owner. In order to be successful, you need to know what it takes to build a strong case. Here are four questions that you will want to ask yourself as you do this:
Were You Allowed to be on the Property?
One of the first questions that you need to ask yourself is whether or not you were even allowed to be on the property at the time that you were injured. If it was a grocery store, shopping mail or something similar, then the chances are you had permission to be on the property – unless it was after hours, of course. However, if it was private property, and you did not have the property owner's permission, your legal case may not have any merit. Therefore, if there is any way that questions could come up regarding whether you should have been on the property or not, you need to be prepared to enter some form of written documentation, such as a letter or an e-mail, into the court as evidence to prove that you were allowed to be there when the accident took place.
Were There Any Warning Signs?
When you go to the grocery store and there has been a spill, the store owner is supposed to put out a caution sign informing customers that the floor is wet. When they do not and a consumer slips, falls and is injured, they can be held liable for those injuries. However, if the sign is present and the consumer enters at their own risk, it can be difficult to recover financial losses. This is something to consider in your own case.
Were There Any Eye Witnesses?
Chances are you are not the only person that was around when your accident occurred. These individuals could potentially testify on your behalf if your case proceeds to court. In some instances, you may be able to settle outside of court. However, in the event that a trial is in your future, having witnesses on your side can often help solidify your side of the story.
Do You Have Any Financial Losses?
In order to build the strongest case possible, it is vital that you be able to effectively prove any financial losses that you have incurred as a result of the slip and fall that took place. A few things that you can do include requesting medical records from your physician, keeping a record of all of your medical expenses and requesting a report from your employer documenting your lost wages.
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