According to the CDC, one out of five falls causes severe head injuries or broken bones. Unfortunately, many people who suffer injuries in a slip and fall refuse to get medical attention.
The Los Angeles slip and fall lawyers at Steinberg Injury Lawyers know that a slip and fall injury can lead to devastating consequences. If you or someone you know sustained a serious injury in a fall (due to someone else’s negligence), contact us for a free consultation with an experienced slip and fall accident attorney.
Continue reading to learn why medical attention is vital in slip and fall accidents.
Your Health is Everything After a Slip and Fall
Your health should be your number one priority after a fall. Assuming that your injuries weren’t too bad or that you didn’t fall too hard can potentially lead to your injuries becoming worse. It can also restrict you from ever pursuing damages if there is an at-fault party.
If you’ve experienced a slip and fall, seek a medical evaluation immediately. You may have suffered a major injury that takes days or weeks to produce side effects. Without prompt medical observation, you could be putting your long-term health at risk. Also, medical reports are often necessary to file a successful personal injury suit.
You Must Prove That You’re Injured
If you are injured after a slip and fall and want to file a personal injury claim to recover your damages, then it becomes your burden to prove the other party was at fault for your injuries.
That requires evidence demonstrating:
-
Verifiable injuries
-
Your injuries were a direct result of a slip and fall accident
-
You incurred damages because of your injuries
Medical Records and Documentation Are Essential
The professional opinion of a licensed physician holds a lot of weight in slip and fall accident cases. With that in mind, the medical records and documentation produced by your physician can be the difference between a successful injury claim and an unsuccessful claim.
Generally, necessary documentation can include:
-
Admission forms
-
Daily charts
-
Diagnosis records
-
Discharge Instructions
-
Follow-up schedules
-
Hospital records
-
Medicines prescribed
-
MRI results
-
Procedure summaries
-
Treatment plans
-
Test results
-
X-Rays
Time is Not on Your Side
It’s not enough to prove that a hazard caused your fall and someone was responsible. You must also prove that your injury resulted from the associated fall.
The longer you wait to seek medical attention after your injury, the more likely the insurance adjuster could assert that the injury was not the defendant’s fault.
Additionally, if you have another accident before filing your claim, it could further complicate the process. Without documentation supporting that you sustained the initial injury before your subsequent accident, there is no way to prove which fall was the cause of your injury.
Contact a Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer Today
After a slip and fall accident, your health is the number one priority. Your second priority should be to contact an experienced slip and fall lawyer. At Steinberg Injury Lawyers, our attorneys are compassionate, experienced, and aggressively pursue maximum compensation for our clients.
If you’ve suffered injuries due to a slip and fall accident caused by someone else’s negligence, we can help. Contact Steinberg Injury Lawyers today for your free initial consultation.
