Slip And Fall Accidents: 3 Types Of Physical Evidence That Can Set The Scene
Surprisingly, slip and fall accidents that lead to serious injuries are quite common in America. In fact, slip and fall injuries account for over 1 million hospital emergency room visits each year. If you've slipped and fallen on someone else's property, you might be able to get the property owner to pay for the medical bills for the injuries sustained if you can prove fault. Proving fault can be difficult, as you'll need to build a strong and air-tight case to present in court. Professional assistance from a slip and fall accident attorney can be the difference between winning and losing the case. Experienced attorneys will use a variety of different types of evidences to build their case. Here are 3 types of physical evidences that can really set the scene.
Torn or Bloody Clothing
While photographs, witness testimony, and medical reports can provide insight into the severity of the injuries sustained from the slip and fall accident that occurred, there's nothing more damning than physical evidence, as it provides the judge with a better visual of what happened. Most slip and fall accident attorneys will recommend keeping torn or bloody clothing as a result. You'll want to show just how severe the accident was from how your clothes were torn or from how much blood you lost.
After the accident, avoid washing your clothes or even repairing them. Instead, store your clothes in a sealed plastic bag. Your slip and fall accident attorney will need to decide whether the clothes can tell their own story about what happened.
Oils, Liquids, or Other Fluids that Caused the Fall
If the slip and fall accident is not due to improper maintenance, such as ice, you'll want to take photographs of the scene of the accident to show how you fell. However, if slippery substances, like oils, liquids and other types of fluids, were also involved, you'll want to get a sample of the substance to present to the courts.
Your slip and fall accident attorney may recommend getting the substance tested to determine what it is composed of. If you know what the substance is, you can easily argue whether the substance should or should not have been on the property. For example, if you slipped and fell due to spilled oil on the floor, proving that the floors were slippery due to oil that should not have been there can really help your case.
Shoes Worn on That Day
While not all slip and fall accident attorneys require you to give them the shoes that you wore on the day of the accident, some attorneys don't mind having the extra evidence around. The attorneys may want to take a look at whether your shoes are in good condition and whether the soles are able to offer a reasonable amount of grip.
The condition of your shoes can really help take the blame off of you, as you'll easily prove to the court that you took the necessary precautions to prevent a slip and fall accident. For example, if you were wearing comfortable work shoes with a rubber grip, your attorney can argue that you had no contribution to the cause of the accident, and, as a result, should be entitled to a larger amount of compensation. It also proves that the accident was unavoidable on your part.
Conclusion
Injuries sustained from a serious slip and fall accident can take years to heal. Make sure that you're fully compensated for the medical bills that are going to continue to rack up by filing a claim and building a strong case. Getting as much evidence as possible can help your attorney deflect responsibility off of your shoulders and determine which party should be held responsible.
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