What should I do after a slip and fall in a restaurant?

If you slip and fall in a restaurant, forget about feeling foolish or embarrassed by what the other diners might think when they see you sprawled on the floor. You should concentrate on understanding just what happened to you and determining what injuries you have suffered.
 

You might have slipped and fallen because the floor was wet. This is quite a common occurrence in restaurants and bars, where people spill their drinks and the staff might take too long to get the spill cleaned. Maybe there were too many people crowding a small hallway and you might not have been able to see a small step up or down or a change in flooring material.
 

First Things First: Get Medical Attention

Some people might suffer a sprained ankle due to a slip and fall accident in a restaurant, but others have fared much worse, suffering life-threatening injuries. If you are having a hard time determining how badly injured you are, stay put. Call 911 or have someone call for you. Don´t attempt to stand up until medical help has arrived.

If your injuries are minor and you can walk out of the restaurant on your own, get checked out by a medical professional as soon as you leave the premises. Keep the medical records and bills for your injuries. Don’t put off getting checked out or the insurance company might interpret it as though your injuries were not serious enough to warrant immediate attention.
 

Talk to the Manger
 

Whoever is responsible for the restaurant should be appraised of your accident. If your injuries allow it, make sure that the owner or manager, or responsible party knows what happened. Don’t ask someone else to report this for you. Also, don’t make statements such as “I think I’m fine” or “It’s probably nothing”. Stick to the facts. Have them put your statement in writing and give you a copy.
 

Document the Accident
 

Use your cellphone to take pictures of the accident. If possible, have someone take pictures of you where you fell. You want what you were wearing to come out clearly. You want to avoid the restaurant manager saying that you fell because your clothes snagged on something or you were wearing shoes that made walking difficult for you.
 

Also, take pictures of security cameras to show that the accident was captured on the restaurant’s video feed.
 

Get Testimonies from Witnesses
 

If other patrons around you saw what happened, gather their testimonies. Also, ask for their contact information. Ask around to find out who was standing close enough to witness your fall. Tell them you might need to get in touch with them later. There is no need to explain anything else to them at this point. Just let them know you might be in touch soon.
 

Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer
 

You will need experienced legal help to be able to prove that there was negligence on the part of the restaurant. This means that they knew about the issue and took no action to correct it or to let you and other patrons know they needed to be aware of an issue when they were walking by.
 

Your Jacksonville slip and fall lawyers have had to deal with plenty of slip and fall accidents in restaurants and other premises. That is why they recommend that you seek legal help as soon as possible after the accident.
 

Start working with your personal injury attorney by telling them the full account of what happened, gather all the medical records and bills related to your injuries, if you have written testimonies and an accident report from the restaurant, give them that as well.

Your lawyer will explain your legal options and design a strategy to build a strong case and obtain the damages you are entitled to.
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Image via Pixabay
 

This is a guest blog entry.