Common Causes for Trip and Fall Accidents
Alberta weather is undoubtedly a significant contributor to trip, slip, and fall accidents that occur outdoors. But this is just one factor and these types of accidents can happen anywhere, at any time. The most common causes include:
- Lack of ice removal or salting of walkways, driveways, or stairs;
- Sidewalks, driveways, and steps that have not been cleared of snow;
Stairs that are uneven, unmarked, or not up to code;
- Wet floors in stores, restaurants, or other public establishments; and
- Uneven or damaged sidewalks or paths.
If you have been injured in a trip and fall accident, your health is the number one priority. Even if you feel fine, you should seek medical attention right away. It may take hours, days, or even weeks to realize the full extent of your injuries. At the time of your accident, adrenaline may be running high and you may not be able to feel where you have been injured. Internal injuries often go unnoticed at first and must be found through diagnostic tests. The results of these tests, along with your doctor’s records, will not only help you get proper medical treatment but may also provide proof of injury and valuable evidence should you decide to make a claim.
Gathering Evidence
If and when you are able, gather information about the accident as soon as possible. The evidence provided by witnesses and photographs from the scene can be crucial to the success of your case. Take lots of photographs, get the names and phone numbers of witnesses, and report the accident to the person in charge of the property. In the case of a business, this may be a manager or owner; in the case of a residence, it may be an owner, landlord, or property manager. Write down as much detail about the incident as you can think of – from a thorough description of the accident to the exact location, time of day, and anything else that may be important. No detail is too small. If you weren’t able to collect evidence at the scene, that’s okay too. Our trip and fall accident lawyers are experts at gathering evidence after the fact, such as medical records, important names, security camera footage, and more. The sooner you call a Personal Injury lawyer, while evidence is easier to collect, the better.