When you talk to an attorney about your slip and fall case, there’s a good chance that he or she is going to ask for your accident report. This is a key piece of evidence that provides a description of everything that happened in regards to the accident. If you don’t have an accident report from the incident, you might be wondering about what to do next. Luckily, we can help.
Should an Accident Report Be Filled Out at the Time of the Fall?
In the best case scenario, an accident report should be filled out as soon as the accident occurs. This is important for a few reasons. The sooner that the report is filled out, the more likely it is that the report will be thorough and accurate. This is because sometimes minor details (such as the exact time of the accident) can be forgotten if this information is not taken down immediately. Additionally, this allows witness information and other essential information to be compiled.
In many cases, things happen in this way simply because the store or other business that is involved has a policy that requires an accident report to be taken. If you remember to, it’s a good idea to ask for an accident report to be filled out immediately after a fall in a slip and fall accident or other similar incident.
However, in some cases, this does not happen. This can be true for a few reasons. Sometimes, this accidents can happen very quickly, and the people who are involved might not know how to react. The person who slips and falls might be pretty seriously injured and might need assistance and medical attention right away, which might take the focus away from getting a report.
What Should I Do if I Don’t Have a Copy of the Accident Report?
Just because you don’t have a copy of an accident report does not mean that there is not one. For example, the manager at the store in which the accident occurred might have filled out a form while you were getting medical attention and might have never given you a copy. You can contact the store to ask if there is an accident report available for you to pick up, or your attorney can contact the store on your behalf and ask that it be mailed or faxed to the office for review.
What Should I Do if an Accident Report Was Not Filed?
If you have inquired with the store and have been told that there is no accident report relating to your accident, you might be unsure of how to proceed. Even though it would be ideal for you to have an accident report, not having one does not mean that you don’t have a case.
The best thing that you can do in this situation is to try to compile as much information about the case as you can. The sooner that you do this, the better, since you can help ensure that you compile as much information as possible. These are some things that you’ll probably want to do:
- Jot down everything that you remember about the case. You’ll want to write down things like the date and time that the incident occurred, what the conditions were like when you slipped and fell, the cause of the fall and more.
- Gather up any documentation that you might have related to the accident, such as any hospital bills, doctor’s notes or other proof that you might have accumulated since the incident occurred.
- Write down the names of anyone who might have been involved, such as the name of any store employees, witnesses who you might have talked to about the accident when it happened, the name of the EMT or other medical professional who responded, the name of any law enforcement officers who might have responded to the scene and anyone else who might know something about the case.
If you are unsure of how to continue with gathering up and documenting information about your case, your lawyer can help you. Also, your lawyer can talk to you more about your situation and can help you determine if you have a case, and he or she can help you move forward with that case. If you are looking for an attorney who you can count on to help you with your slip and fall case, contact us today.
We work on a contingency basis, so you will not be required to pay anything upfront; instead, you’ll only have to pay us if we win your case. Plus, there is no requirement to hire us just because we talk to you, so you can schedule a free consultation so that you can talk to us about your case. Then, we can provide you with the representation that you need during this difficult time and can help you get the compensation that you deserve for your slip and fall accident, from reimbursement for medical bills to lost wages payments and more.