According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five falls results in a serious injury such as a head injury or broken bones. Falls are nothing to take lightly and, depending upon the circumstances around your fall, you may be entitled to financial compensation to cover your losses. There are a few steps anyone should take after sustaining serious injuries after a fall, depending upon the situation.
Work-Related Falls
If you've fallen at work, you are most likely covered under your employer's workers' compensation insurance. Make sure you contact your company human resources staff to inform them of what has happened and ask about the necessary procedure for filing a claim. Every company has a slightly different procedure, but the sooner you let them know, the better. Depending upon the advice of your healthcare provider, you may have some loss of wages as a result of the fall. If workers' compensation doesn't cover your loss of wages, or the cost of your necessary treatment, seeking advice from an attorney is a necessary next step.
Falls at Places of Business
It is the business's responsibility to provide ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant accessibility and keep walkways in a condition that allows people to walk without harming themselves. Thus, if a place of business has been negligent, and that negligence caused your accident, you may be entitled to legal relief. Of course, the first step is to have your injuries assessed by a medical provider. If the business owner has failed to clear icy walkways, remove debris, or a variety of other negligent behaviors, you should consult an attorney to discuss the potential for legal remedy.
Conclusion
Of course, you should always have your injuries assessed after any type of fall. Make sure you have this done as soon as possible. If you can, take a picture of the area immediately after your fall. Then, if you are interested in learning more about your legal options after a fall, contact us to make an appointment as soon as possible.
