Every year, thousands of people injure themselves in slip and fall accidents. They are the most common type of workplace accidents. But, they also happen with surprising frequency in people’s homes or in public places.

If you have this type of accident, it is possible to end up with quite serious injuries. Especially if you break a big bone like your hip. Injuries sustained in a fall can lead to permanent disabilities. The fact that the consequences can be serious means that it is important to handle things in the right way in the days, weeks and months after your accident.

Speak to a lawyer

In many cases, it makes sense to hire a team of people with experience, such as this company. They will look into what happened and work out whether you will be able to claim for compensation.

Provided they believe that you have a strong enough case, they will advise you about how to gather evidence. For example, they may ask you to write down what happened, take photos of the scene and keep a symptom diary. Doing this and other things in the right way can greatly improve your chances of being paid.

It is a good idea to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible after the incident. This will help to ensure that evidence that can strengthen your case is not lost.

Report the accident

You should always report a trip or fall accident if they occur in a workplace or public space. Doing so will help to ensure that someone else does not have a similar accident.

This is particularly important if you do something like trip over a cracked paving slab. If you don’t report it, potentially dozens of other people could be hurt.

The fact that you have properly reported the issue could even help your claim. It provides a record of the incident that helps to prove that it happened.

But, be careful about what you say in the accident report. Your lawyer will help you to write it in a way that does not make it look like you are to blame for the accident.

Follow your doctor’s advice

It is very important to follow the advice that your doctor and other medical professionals give you. Doing so will help you to heal faster. But that is not the only reason to do so.

If you do not follow the medical advice you are given, the party you are suing may be able to argue that you are partly to blame for any permanent disability. They could say that if you had done what you were supposed to you would have healed better.

Take steps to avoid a similar accident happening again

The vast majority of people who suffer trip and fall accidents are elderly or infirm. If you fall into this category, it is a good idea to think about using some form of walking aid to reduce the risk of falling again. This article tells you about some of them. It also covers the subject of adaptations that can be made to the home to make falls less likely.