Seeing a physician as soon as possible after your injury is best, as delaying treatment can make it difficult to prove your injuries were caused by your accident. Understanding how long you have to go to the doctor after a slip and fall requires knowing that medical records are a key part of your personal injury claim.
You Should Go to the Doctor Immediately After a Slip and Fall
Seek medical treatment for your slip and fall accident as soon as you can to build the strongest possible case.
While you can receive damages if your slip and fall aggravated an underlying condition, delaying treatment can cast doubt on whether your pre-existing condition caused your injuries or the accident was caused by another party’s negligence.
A slip and fall can occur because of:
- Wet and slippery floors
- Defective rails
- Broken ladders
- Icy sidewalks
- Defective harnesses and safety equipment
When you are hurt in a slip and fall accident, you can pursue damages against the liable party. When injuries occur, they can result in missed time from work and excessive medical bills.
Slips and Falls Can Result in These Injuries
You may have walked away from the accident scene feeling minor discomfort. Later on, you could have confronted the reality of your condition and required medical care. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some fall-related injuries can include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord trauma
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Dislocated joints
- Soft-tissue damage
- Paralysis
The information you get from your healthcare provider can support your case. For instance, we can use x-rays and other imaging scans to assert your condition to the insurer.
A Lawyer Can Help You Determine Liability
When you sustain injuries because of negligence, you can recover financial compensation by filing a personal injury claim. Liability is established based on whether the other individual had a duty of care toward you. If you were hurt because you slipped on a wet hard surface at a store, the owner can be liable for your injuries; they have an obligation to ensure the environment is safe for customers.
Establishing liability means proving that your accident was caused because of another individual acting negligently or recklessly. Companies are required to ensure their business is safe for customers and employees. If the business that owns the property where you fell has a history of slip and fall injuries, it can strengthen your claim.
Damages You May Be Able to Pursue
Florida Statutes § 768.81 states that Florida does not cap economic or non-economic damages in slip and fall cases. Economic losses are determined based on the expenses you paid because of your accident. Non-economic damages consider how your injuries impact your quality of life.
Financial recovery can comprise:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Diminished future earning capacity
- Lost wages
- Medical expenses and equipment fees
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of household services
- Loss of consortium
You Can Partner with a Slip and Fall Lawyer on Your Injury Case
When you partner with a lawyer from our team, they will take care of your case from beginning to end. You can expect them to:
File Your Insurance Claim
We resolve many slip and fall cases through insurance claims. For instance, if you fell at a friend’s house, we can file a claim with their homeowners insurance policy to recover what you need. If you slipped and fell at a grocery store, you can file a claim with the store’s liability policy.
Manage All Communications with the Insurance Company
Dealing with insurance companies isn’t always easy. Many insurance companies care more about their own profits than injured people’s losses. For instance, after filing your claim, the liable insurer may:
- Blame you for what happened
- Assert that you were trespassing
- Deny the severity of your condition
- Offer less than you need
- Deny your claim altogether
- Employ bad faith insurance practices
No matter what tactics the insurance company has up its sleeve, we will be by your side. We will use our years of experience and network of legal resources to champion your rights.
Pursue Damages in Civil Court
We may have to file a lawsuit to recover what you need. This requires us to:
- File your case within the statute of limitations. Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a) notes that you generally have four years to file a lawsuit. While some exceptions could apply, if you don’t file your case within this period, you could lose the right to seek damages.
- Assert the cost of your losses. In court, we have to show that because you fell, you incurred damages. We will use expert testimony, receipts, and invoices to demonstrate what you need.
- Cross-examine witnesses. In court, the defense will present witnesses to refute your case. We will look for inconsistencies in their testimony and cast doubt on their statements.
- Continue negotiations. After filing your claim, we will continue negotiating your case with the liable insurer. If the insurer decides to offer what you’re owed, we can drop your lawsuit and go from there.
Each lawsuit unfolds differently. Our lawyers are ready to manage everything your case requires to reach a fair outcome.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine Can Help You
The sooner you receive medical care for your injuries, the easier it may be to connect your injuries to the accident in which you were injured. We can help you understand how long you have to go to the doctor after a slip and fall (if you have not sought treatment already).
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today to learn more. Remember: you have a limited time to pursue damages through litigation. We want to get started on your case as soon as possible.
