Anderson O’Brien handles many claims involving individuals who injure themselves after falling or tripping due to ice or some other unsafe condition or obstacle. These types of cases are called premises liability cases. They occur frequently, especially during Wisconsin’s difficult winters involving ice and snow. March is a particularly hazardous month with all of the freezing and thawing that takes place, resulting in the accumulation of ice. Many of these incidents result in very serious injuries requiring surgery, necessitating the insertion of plates and screws into someone’s ankle, leg or hip. These cases can be difficult to prove, as it is necessary to establish that the property owner was negligent and/or, in some cases, that they violated Wisconsin’s Safe Place Statute.
However, while serious injuries may result from a slip and fall, it can be difficult to preserve the very evidence you need to prove your case. Several steps must be taken to effectively preserve your evidence and to pursue your claims. The following consists of some of the steps that are important for you to take if you intend to pursue a premises liability claim.
1. Provide Notice of the Incident Immediately.
Proper documentation in premises liability cases is crucial. Providing notice immediately to the owner or manager of the property is something that absolutely must be done in order to pursue your claim. The purpose of immediate notice is that it puts the owner or manager of the property on notice so that it provides credibility to your claim that the trip and fall actually occurred at the time and location you said it did. The restaurant, store, gas station, or manager of the facility where you fell also should generate a written incident report which can later be used to prove your claim. Additionally, providing immediate notice to the owner or manager on site will cause that person to investigate and to observe for themselves if there are, in fact, icy conditions or other dangerous conditions which exist, and they can be a witness that you can use to establish your claim. It also provides the manager with notice that they should take measures to render the premises safer, such as placing salt on the ice upon which you fell, and that can also be used as evidence against the property owner.
2. Take as Many Photographs as You Can.
Documenting the scene of the incident through photographs is invaluable and can literally make or break your case. The condition of what you tripped or fell on can change almost instantly. (For example, water or liquids can be cleaned up by the property owner; ice and snow conditions on a sidewalk or inside a building can melt. Other unsafe conditions can be fixed and repaired within a short period after the incident.) Therefore, if you do not take photographs to establish the condition at the time you fell, it may be very difficult to give an accurate verbal description to the insurance company or to a jury of what it is you fell on, what time you fell, and where you fell. Certainly, you may not be able to think about taking photographs at the time that you sustained a serious injury. However, you need to do whatever you can to take pictures. If you need to, ask someone else to take pictures with your phone immediately or have a friend or relative go back to the location as soon as they can after you fall. Photographs are the single most critical piece of evidence in many slip and fall claims.
3. If Possible, Obtain Information About Other Witnesses.
In many slip and fall cases, if you do not have direct video surveillance saved by the business where the incident took place, the claim may essentially boil down to “he said, she said” evidence. The insurance company may argue that you did not even fall on the date or time that you said you did. If you obtain the contact information of all witnesses who observed the incident or saw you lying on the ground after you were injured, this will give greater credibility to your claim. You will also then have contact information for these witnesses who can testify as to the conditions where you fell at that exact moment.
4. Seek Medical Treatment if Necessary.
If you are injured in a slip and fall incident and you need medical care, you should do so immediately and go to the emergency room rather than waiting for an appointment with your doctor several days later. The significance of this is twofold. First, the doctors can examine you and take x-rays to get you the proper care you need immediately to get you on the road to recovery. You should follow all of your doctor’s advice and show up to all of your appointments. Secondly, the fact that you slipped and fell will be reported in your medical records and if you go to the emergency room, this will help establish the date, time, and location of when this incident actually occurred. Be specific with your doctors about the details surrounding this injury. When you pursue a claim against the insurance company and have to testify, sometimes several years later after the fall, the documentation in your medical records will prove invaluable in establishing your claims.
5. Contact an Attorney.
It is important to contact an attorney right away if you intend to pursue a potential premises liability claim. There are important time limits and notice provisions under the law that must be satisfied in order to pursue a claim against property owners or insurance companies. The legal requirements of notice will differ based upon where you fell (i.e., for a government entity, you must give notice of the injury within 120 days). Evidence must be preserved, investigations and contact with witnesses must be made. Anderson O’Brien has the experience and expertise to handle these types of cases. We take the burden off of you to develop your case from the very beginning. We offer free initial consultations to evaluate potential premises liability claims.
Following the above steps in a premises liability claim, or any personal injury claim, will greatly assist your attorney in representing you to obtain the best results possible.
