Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Anidjar & Levine, PAs. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
Slip and fall accidents can be embarrassing, but attorneys say the instinct to get up and walk away could cost you a legal case.
Glen Levine, senior partner at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, and Shire Patel, a partner at the firm, joined Inside South Florida to walk viewers through the steps to take immediately after a slip and fall accident.
Levine said the first priority is to assess your own condition before doing anything else.
"Take a minute. Make sure you're okay," Levine said.
If you are hurt, Levine said documentation is the most critical step.
"Take pictures of the spill, whatever it was that you fell on, the merchandise that's close to it. If it's in a store, the security cameras up above so that we know if there's anything that we might ask for later on," Levine said.
He said employees and managers at the location should be identified by name, and the incident must be formally reported on the spot.
"Sometimes if you leave, they're like, hey, we didn't know that this happened," Levine said.
Levine also urged anyone involved in a slip and fall to collect the names of any witnesses present, noting that these cases are complex and that recent legal changes have made them even harder to pursue.
Patel said filing an incident report and seeking medical attention are equally important steps.
"Seek medical treatment. Call 911. Call the fire rescue if you need that," Patel said.
Patel added that even if someone left the scene without gathering much information, a case may still be possible.
"Keep the receipt. Keep things, your case isn't over. Still call us. We're experts in this field, so we'll still make it work," Patel said.
Both attorneys emphasized that time is a factor, as evidence can disappear and memories fade.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can be reached at 1-800-747-3733. The firm says every client receives a direct cell phone number for their attorney.
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