What Happens If I Don’t Report My Slip-and-Fall Injury?

Slip-and-fall accidents can happen anywhere—stores, hospitals, and even the workplace. Owners who negligently ignore spills or fail to keep walkways dry and even puts everyone at risk of falling and getting injured. Whenever these incidents happen, it’s vital that you make a report and get legal representation. However, not everyone may not know this and could possibly harm their claim before they’ve even filed it. Corban Gunn, Attorney at Law can help you get the justice you deserve.

Failure to Make a Report

After a slip-and-fall accident, you should make a report. This way, there’s a physical account of what happened that shows you spoke to the supervisor, manager, or whoever was in charge that day.

Without a report, you don’t have a copy of the incident that you can consult in the future. This could make getting the date and details of what happened difficult. You may not be able to remember details long after the fact that could help show how the establishment or certain individual was negligent. These details are crucial for your case.

Also, when you file your claim, the insurance company may question the severity of it since you didn’t report it. They may argue that it wasn’t as serious as you claim because you don’t have an official report. You can avoid all of this by making sure if something happens, you ask to file a report.

When you do make a report, you need to be honest and only write down details that you remember. Guessing or making things up could possibly lead to discrepancies in your account, which could call your credibility into question.

Other Ways You Can Jeopardize Your Claim

There are other ways you can put your claim at risk besides not reporting the injury. Be sure to avoid the following mistakes people can make that harm their chances of getting the compensation they’re owed.

• Not Documenting the Incident. While this includes filing a report, you should also keep documentation of how the injury feels and how it affected you. This could be in the form of a journal. It’s also imperative to go to the doctor and get a medical evaluation of your injuries. This will show the injuries you sustained and give information about your recovery process and the amount of time it would take.
• Give Official Statements. After an accident, an insurance adjuster may try to get you to make an official statement. Anything you say can be used as evidence against you, which could result in you getting less compensation than you deserve. It’s important to know that if an insurance adjuster speaks with you, you should refuse to be recorded or give official statements. Your personal injury lawyer can go over what you can talk about with insurance adjusters without putting your settlement at risk.
• Post on Social Media. It’s common for people to want to share details about their lives on social media. However, it’s best for your case if you refrain from putting anything on social media where everyone has access to it. Anyone on the opposite side of your claim could potentially use your posts against you. If you consistently post photos or are saying things about your case, it may be used as evidence that you’re not as injured as you claim you are. In addition to not posting, you should also consider setting your accounts to private to limit access.

It’s a lot to keep all these factors in mind when your injury and the process of the claim is distracting you. But you can trust your attorney to guide you so you’re never caught off guard.

Get Help from Corban Gunn, Attorney at Law

We’re proud to protect Mississippi citizens’ rights and will always stand up for them. Wrongful injuries can cause a lot of stress due to the cost of recovery and how long it will take until the injury heals. You don’t have to deal with all that on your own. Corban Gunn, Attorney at Law will go over your case, gather the evidence, and piece together what happened, how you were hurt, and who was at fault. When we have that information, we can calculate a fair settlement and then will fight for you to get it.

You can start the process and call our Biloxi office today. We’ll set up an obligation-free consultation and go over the details of your case. Then, we can discuss your legal options and the best way for you to proceed.