Retail stores and other establishments owe everyone that enters their premises a duty of care. Essentially, they must maintain a safe environment for shoppers to prevent severe accidents and injuries. Sadly, when the appropriate parties fail to exercise reasonable care, shoppers suffer devastating physical, emotional, and financial losses that negatively impact their lives. When this is the case, you are within your rights to take legal action against responsible parties to recover monetary compensation for your economic and non-economic damages stemming from the accident. However, you must fulfill the burden of proof by demonstrating that your injuries were caused directly by the store’s negligence. To do this, there are specific steps you must take in the immediate aftermath of an accident. This includes gathering evidence from the accident scene and filing a store incident report. If you have been injured while shopping at a store, contact a skilled Birmingham Slip and Fall Lawyer who can help you fight for just compensation. Please continue reading to learn the importance of filing a store incident report.
Why is it essential to file a store incident report after an accident?
Following a slip-and-fall accident in a store, you must take specific steps to maximize your chances of collecting financial compensation for your damages. If you are physically capable, you should seek immediate medical attention. From here, you must notify the store manager and complete a store incident report. This type of report is a form that the on-duty manager will fill out that outlines the facts of the incident. This typically includes the date, time, hazardous property conditions, injuries sustained, people involved, and other relevant information regarding the incident. A store incident report is one of the first pieces of documentation to verify the accident happened. It also provides a record of pertinent facts that can help establish liability. Filing a store incident report is important because it preserves evidence corroborating your claim if you decide to pursue legal action.
When completing a store incident report, it is imperative to stick to the facts. In some cases, victims inadvertently take the blame, which hinders their ability to recover the total amount they are entitled to, as this omission minimizes the store’s liability. Nonetheless, providing them with a complete account of what happened is beneficial to ensure you have a record of pertinent details regarding the incident that can help establish fault.
If you have been injured in a store due to negligence, contact a talented Birmingham slip-and-fall lawyer from Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC today, who can help you hold responsible parties accountable for their negligence. Our firm is committed to helping our clients obtain the compensation they deserve.
