Common Mistakes After a Slip and Fall Injury

Common Mistakes People Make After a Slip and Fall

One of the hardest parts about a slip and fall is that it happens fast. You’re embarrassed, you’re hurting, and most people just want to get out of the store and go home. Unfortunately, what you do next can make or break your case, and we see the same mistakes happen all the time.

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Not Getting Witness Information

A lot of people don’t think to grab the names of anyone who saw the fall. Sometimes they’re shaken up, sometimes they’re in pain, and sometimes they assume the store will “handle it.”

Here’s the problem. Once you leave, those witnesses are gone. Later on, the store or insurance company may question how the fall happened, and without witnesses, it often becomes your word against theirs.

If anyone saw what happened, getting their name and contact information can make a huge difference.

Waiting Too Long to See a Doctor

Another common mistake is waiting to get medical care. People will tell us they were waiting on the insurance company to tell them where to go, or they were hoping the pain would just go away.

Insurance companies love this. They argue that if you didn’t go to the doctor right away, you must not have been seriously hurt. Meanwhile, you’re still at home in pain.

If you’re hurt, get checked out. Your health comes first, and early treatment helps protect your case.

Stopping Treatment Because the Insurance Company Pushes Back

This one causes the most damage.

We see it all the time. Someone goes to the emergency room, then needs follow-up care. They call the insurance company, and the adjuster says something like, “We can’t guarantee we’ll pay for that,” or “Your claim might be denied.”

So the person stops going to the doctor. They’re still hurting, but they’re scared of the bills.

From the insurance company’s point of view, this is exactly what they want. Weeks go by with no treatment, and later they argue that the injuries must not have been that bad.