Slipping and falling on someone else’s property can present some immediate challenges.
You simultaneously need to take steps to protect your rights, treat your injuries, and avoid doing anything that could jeopardize your ability to seek compensation.
Here are some key steps to take after a slip and fall accident to position yourself for a potential claim against the property owner who failed to keep you safe.
Immediate Actions at the Scene of a Portland Slip and Fall Accident
What you do in the moments after a slip and fall incident can have significant implications for both your health and your ability to bring a claim against the property owner later.
If you’re physically able to do so, take these steps before you leave the property:
- Report the accident right away. Tell a property owner, manager, employee, landlord, or another person in charge that you fell. Ask them to prepare a written incident report and request a copy for your records.
- Get emergency medical help if needed. Call 911 for serious injuries. Even if you think you can walk it off, pain can get worse after the initial shock wears off.
- Take photos and videos of the hazard. Document the exact spot where you fell, including wet floors, broken stairs, uneven pavement, poor lighting, loose mats, ice, or debris.
- Get contact information from witnesses. Ask for the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of anyone who saw you fall or noticed the dangerous condition before the fall happened.
- Save your shoes and clothing. Don’t wash or throw away what you were wearing. These items can help you support your claim or push back against attempts to blame you for the fall.
- Avoid detailed statements. Stick to the facts when reporting the incident. Don’t apologize, guess, or say you’re uninjured before a doctor evaluates you.
Steps to Take While Recovering from a Slip and Fall in Oregon
Once you’ve left the accident scene, your focus should shift to getting medical care, preserving evidence, and preparing your slip and fall claim.
Take the following steps to protect your health and your ability to seek compensation:
- Follow your medical treatment plan. Attend all scheduled medical appointments and complete any recommended physical therapy, imaging, or follow-up care.
- Keep copies of your medical records and bills. Save records from emergency rooms, urgent care visits, primary care doctors, specialists, pharmacies, and therapists.
- Write down what you remember. As soon as you can, make some notes about where you fell, what caused the fall, who was there, and what you felt immediately afterward.
- Track how your injuries affect your daily life. Keep a simple journal about your pain levels, missed work, sleep problems, mobility issues, and activities you can no longer do comfortably.
- Save all accident-related expenses. Keep receipts for any prescriptions, medical devices, transportation, home help, and other costs tied to the fall.
- Be careful with insurance communications. Don’t give a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster or accept a settlement before you understand the full extent of your injuries.
- Avoid posting about the accident online. Insurance companies may review your social media accounts for posts they can use against your claim.
Common Mistakes to Avoid After a Slip and Fall Incident in Portland
People don’t always know what to do in the heat of the moment after a slip and fall.
Unfortunately, some seemingly small errors can make it harder for you to prove what happened or connect your injuries to the accident.
These are some common mistakes to avoid after a slip and fall incident while your case is still pending:
- Leaving without reporting the fall – A delayed report can give the property owner or insurance company room to question the basic facts of when, where, and how the accident happened.
- Waiting too long to get medical care – The property owner and their insurer may use gaps in your treatment to argue that your injuries weren’t serious or were caused by something else.
- Throwing away evidence – Keep your shoes, clothing, photos, receipts, and written notes in one place.
- Blaming yourself too quickly – You may not know yet whether poor maintenance, missing warnings, or unsafe conditions contributed to the fall.
- Accepting a quick settlement – Initial settlement offers likely won’t reflect your full medical needs, lost income, or long-term pain.
When to Contact a Portland Slip and Fall Lawyer
It’s never too soon to reach out to a slip and fall lawyer after an accident on someone else’s Portland property.
Securing representation as soon as possible after a slip and fall makes it easier to focus on healing while your attorney manages the insurance and legal processes on your behalf.
Oregon law typically only gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit.
In some slip and fall cases, such as accidents involving government entities, you may have even less time to act. Contacting a lawyer early on gives a chance to gather and preserve evidence and begin preparing your claim well in advance of any important legal deadlines.
Call Our Portland Slip and Fall Attorneys Today for Your Free Consultation
Whether you slipped and fell in a public, private, or commercial space in Portland, you may be entitled to compensation for the resulting losses.
Trust the Portland slip and fall lawyers at Rizk Law to fight for the financial recovery you deserve.
We have over 20 years of experience representing injured Oregonians and have recovered millions for our clients, including a $50,000 trial award for a client injured in a stairway fall at an apartment complex.*
Our skilled attorneys take pride in our commitment to providing attentive, effective representation to those harmed through others’ negligence.
As one client wrote:
“Richard and the Rizk law team made the whole process seamless and as easy as possible. I really appreciate how communicative they were and their knowledge of the law was astounding. These guys are the best and I recommend them to anyone.”
– Johnny M.
Rizk Law offers experience with local courts and insurance adjusters, as well as established relationships with a network of Oregon experts who assist us in complex injury claims, including those arising from slip and fall accidents.
Contact our Portland office today to discuss your case for free with an experienced slip and fall lawyer and learn more about how we can support you.
*Each case is unique, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
