Slip and fall accidents occur fairly often. They can happen anywhere, from a convenience store to a small business office, to a superstore. Many conditions can cause slip and fall accidents—a slippery and wet floor, debris on the ground, an uneven walkway, or maybe a poorly lit sidewalk. In Columbus, Ohio, slip and fall lawyers know that these accidents can cause serious damage. However, these accidents are not always easy to prove.

If you have a slip and fall accident here are some things you should do.

• Take Pictures. If possible, use your phone to take pictures of the accident scene. Take pictures of the floor, and the entire facility. Take pictures of where employees are located. Take pictures of what caused the fall. Take pictures of your injuries. Sometimes you cannot take pictures, especially if EMTs carry you out on a stretcher. If this is the case, try to get the person you are with to take pictures, or send someone to the scene of the accident after the fact.These pictures will help your prove your case. Getting pictures or videos from the premise owner can be challenging, sometimes impossible. Pictures provide and accurate depiction of the accident area during the time the fall occurred.

• Get witness statements. Signed witness statements help establish the scene of the crime, and that you were not acting unsafely or unreasonably. If you were with someone during your fall, have him or her sign a witness statement. If an ambulance has to pick you up from the premise, have the EMTs sign statements that describe the fall and the location. Other good candidates for witness statements include people that saw your fall, or employees of the business.

• Go to the doctor’s or a hospital immediately. It is important to document your injuries as soon as possible. Seeing a physician immediately ensures that you can prove the fall caused your injuries. Also, your medical records helps prove the amount of damages you suffered. Medical records are a vital piece of every slip and fall case. Without medical records documenting your slip and fall, you probably don’t have a case.

• Contact a lawyer. Slip and fall cases have a 2 year statute of limitations. That means you need to act fast if you want compensation for your damages. A lawyer needs to investigate and gather information, prepare a settlement package, and negotiate a settlement. If settlement cannot be reached, then an Ohio slip and fall attorney can take your case to trial.

The Law on Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents fall under an area of tort law known as premise liability. “Sic utere tuo ut alienum non laedas”—so use your own property as not unreasonably to injure another—is the fundamental principle on which liability may be predicated where, in the use of one’s own property, one causes injury to another by either willful misconduct or negligence. Slip and fall attorneys in Ohio must prove that a property owner either willfully or negligently used their property so as to injure another person.

An attorney must prove the following elements in all torts cases–duty, breach, causation, and damages.

Duty. Business owners that invite people onto their property have a duty to maintain safe premises. They also have a duty to warn individuals of any dangerous conditions on the property.

Breach. Breach occurs when an owner fails to maintain their property, or fails to warn individuals properly about dangerous conditions. Many times this element requires proof of negligent or willful misconduct. Pictures and witness statements help prove this element.

Causation. The negligent or willful conduct must cause the accident and resulting injuries. Pictures, witness statements, and medical records all help to establish this element.

Damages. Slip and fall cases require actual calculable damages. Medical records and bills help establish a realistic damage calculation.

If you had an accident on another on someone else’s property, then the owner of that property may be liable for your damages. The attorneys at Jones Law Group have extensive knowledge and experience working on slip and fall cases. At Jones Law Group, we know how to get you compensated for injuries sustained on someone else’s premises. Please call us at (614) 545-9998 or contact us online to set up a free consultation today.