Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Andijar and Levine.
All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
With the holiday season nearly here, attorneys from Andijar and Levine are sharing what shoppers should do if they slip, trip, or fall while out shopping.
The holiday rush can set the stage for accidents, as stress and crowds cause people to lose focus.
"And then we've got Christmas and everyone. The stress of getting everything done because everyone's got their lives, their kids, their jobs, all these other things. So the stress of just getting everything done. So people are rushing, and they're not paying as close attention. So if you happen to have a fall, you need to obviously, you know, take care of yourself and kind of put some of that stuff on pause and make sure you're okay," Levine said.
If a fall happens inside a store, reporting it and documenting the scene are critical.
"The biggest and most important thing for our fall, if it's in a store, is to report it. Make sure that the store knows about it, and also take photographs of what it is that you fell in, because there's a lot of requirements that are on the plaintiff, which is the person that actually fell, to prove that it is," Levine said.
Many people feel embarrassed after a fall and want to leave quickly, but the attorneys warn against that instinct.
"It's very difficult if you just pick up and, you know, most people are embarrassed after the fall; they want to brush themselves off and move on. You should not do that. Take a moment. Take a photograph of what's there. Take down, right down, the names of the people from the store that come to help you out, and make sure you make a report," Levine said.
Reporting the fall also matters for preserving important evidence, such as surveillance video.
"Because when we go to request the store surveillance video, we can reference. Hey, you knew about this. You know, it's not a big surprise if you just walk out the door and you don't tell them, then the store may not keep that video, and it may get erased after a period of time," Levine said.
Even shoppers who leave the scene without reporting may still have options, according to Andijar.
"Yeah, definitely call us. But just to pay you back on some things Glenn was saying as well. You know, if, for example, you do end up leaving because you are so embarrassed, this is the holidays, you just want to get out. It doesn't mean the case is done right. You could still call us. You know, there's definitely things we can do," Andijar said.
The firm says it handles the legal burden so clients can focus on recovery.
"But no, I mean, obviously we would help manage your medical treatment, get you that medical care you need to get better, take away the stress of insurance companies calling you, department stores, their legal departments calling," Andijar said.
"You know, we take over that legal headache for you all the way through the conclusion of the case, starting with getting you better," Andijar said.
The firm says it has spent 21 years helping clients and is available around the clock.
"We are available 24/7 on our cell phones, email, Instagram, and website, andijarlevine.com. But we're here to help. And we've been doing this for 21 years. And it's literally a passion of ours. And we love what we do, and we love helping people," Andijar said.
"So it's our pleasure to just call us. And any question, there is no question too small," Andijar said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.