If you slipped and fell at a business in Alabama, you may be entitled to financial compensation. This includes not only financial compensation for your medical bills, prescriptions and lost earnings, but also financial compensation for your pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and the other lasting effects of your ordeal. It will be important to hire an attorney to represent you, and, in this scenario, you can hire an experienced Birmingham slip and fall attorney at no out-of-pocket cost.

While hiring an experienced Birmingham slip and fall attorney is an important step in the recovery process, it is just one step of many. To help give yourself the best chance of filing a successful claim, there are various other steps you will want to take as well.

7 Important Steps to Take If You Were Injured at a Business in Alabama

So, what should you do if you slipped and fell at a business in Alabama? Here are seven important steps for protecting your legal rights:

1. Keep Everything

When you have a slip and fall claim against a business in Alabama, being able to prove where, when and why the accident happened is critical to seeking the financial compensation you deserve. With this in mind, you should keep as much evidence as possible.

This includes any photos or videos you took with your phone at the business—whether before or after you slipped and fell. It also includes your copy of the incident report if you received one (and if you reported your fall before leaving the scene). Additionally, while the incident is still fresh in your mind, you should take some time to write down as many details as you can remember.

2. Get Treatment for Your Injuries

If you haven’t done so already, you should see a doctor right away. Your medical records will also serve as key evidence in your slip and fall claim. Seeing a doctor as soon as possible will help link your injuries to the accident, and this will help prevent the business’s insurance company from claiming that your injuries aren’t covered.

3. Follow Your Doctor’s Advice (or Seek a Second Opinion)

Once you see a doctor, you should follow your doctor’s treatment advice (or seek a second opinion, if necessary). This includes following your doctor’s advice regarding additional tests or scans, follow-up appointments, rest, and physical or occupational therapy.

Ignoring your doctor’s advice in this scenario can be risky for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it can jeopardize your recovery. If your doctor is recommending a particular course of treatment, there is a reason why—and ignoring your doctor’s advice could lead to unnecessary (and potentially long-term) health consequences. Second, ignoring your doctor’s advice can make it more difficult to file a successful claim. If the business’s insurance company sees that you aren’t taking your recovery seriously, it will try to use this against you.

4. Continue Monitoring for Symptoms

Going forward, you should continue to monitor for symptoms of potential trauma related to your slip and fall accident. With certain types of injuries, symptoms won’t necessarily appear right away. If you notice bruising, swelling, pain, reduced range of motion, headaches, bowel or bladder issues, or any other unusual symptoms, you should schedule another appointment with your doctor promptly.

5. Document Your Financial Costs from the Accident

As you begin the process of moving on from your slip and fall accident, you should do your best to document its financial costs. This means that you should try to keep records such as:

  • Medical bills for all treatment related to your slip and fall accident
  • Receipts for copays or other direct payments
  • Insurance invoices and benefit statements
  • Receipts or account statements showing other out-of-pocket costs (i.e., purchases of prescription medications or medical supplies)
  • Employment records that document any time you miss from work

If you have a claim against the business, you are entitled to financial compensation for all of the costs you incur as a result of your injuries. Your Birmingham slip and fall attorney will use these records (among other forms of documentation) to prove how much you are entitled to recover.

6. Document Your Injuries’ Non-Financial Impacts

Along with documenting your financial costs from the accident, you should also document your injuries’ non-financial impacts. This includes (but is not limited to) impacts such as:

  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Physical scars or disfigurement
  • Inability to spend meaningful time with friends and family
  • Inability to enjoy your hobbies or perform chores around the house
  • Loss of sleep and other day-to-day impacts

These are also “losses” you may be entitled to recover under Alabama law. When you hire an experienced Birmingham slip and fall attorney to represent you, your attorney will determine what constitutes just compensation for these losses based on your individual circumstances.

7. Hire an Experienced Attorney to Help You

When you have a slip and fall claim against a business, it is important not to try to handle your claim on your own. Seeking just compensation is complicated—not only do you need to be able to prove that the business is legally responsible under Alabama law, but you also need to be able to prove how much compensation you deserve for your present and future losses.

As we mentioned earlier, hiring an experienced attorney in this scenario incurs no out-of-pocket costs. Your attorney will handle your claim on a contingency-fee basis, which means that your legal fees (if any) will be calculated as a percentage of the compensation your attorney helps you recover.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Birmingham Slip and Fall Attorney Today

Do you need to know more about filing a slip and fall claim against a business in Alabama? If so, we invite you to get in touch. To schedule a free consultation with an experienced Birmingham slip and fall attorney as soon as possible, call 205-855-2745 or tell us how we can contact you online today.