What Should I Do if I Am Injured While Visiting a Business or Other Public Place?

What Should I Do if I Am Injured While Visiting a Business or Other Public Place?

Schedule Your Free Consultation
supermarket

All property owners of all kinds are responsible for ensuring that their premises are reasonably safe for all who legally use their property. Unfortunately, they often fail to live up to this responsibility, and pedestrians are injured as a result. If you were recently injured while visiting a business, another public place, or even private property, please continue reading and reach out to a seasoned Stamford, Connecticut slip and fall lawyer from Casper & de Toledo to learn more about what to do and how we can help you through the personal injury claims process ahead. Here are some of the questions you may have:

What should I do if I am injured while visiting a public place that I don’t own?

If you are injured on public property due to a safety hazard, whether you are in a department store, a supermarket, parking garage or otherwise, there are several steps you should take to document the incident and ensure you receive immediate medical treatment. They are as follows:

  1. Report the incident and request first responders (police/ambulance) – that might be an ambulance if the injury is disabling or if the injury has caused you to experience alteration of your mental status. Alteration of mental status can include a) a loss of consciousness; b) a gap in your memory for events leading up to the trauma or following the trauma, being dazed, confused, or seeing “stars”, or being dizzy.
  2. Take pictures of the property hazard that caused your injury. Common safety hazards are snowy/icy parking lots/sidewalks, slippery surfaces, dim lighting, inadequate security, a broken railing, or a deteriorated condition
  3. Ask anyone who saw your accident for their name, phone number, and email address. Witness testimony can prove extremely useful when it comes to satisfying the burden of proof in a personal injury claim.
  4. If you are injured in a store of any kind, ensure you notify the store management of your injury. You cannot force them to take action, and if they do prepare an accident report, customarily they will not release a copy to you unless and until you commenced a lawsuit. Let your lawyer worry about it later. The important thing is that you have notified management.
  5. Keep copies of all medical documentation pertaining to your injury. This can help prove the origin and extent of your injuries, as well as their cost.
  6. Retain the services of a competent personal injury lawyer who can work to gather and present all other evidence needed to successfully satisfy the burden of proof in your personal injury claim.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Connecticut?

In the state of Connecticut, accident victims will traditionally have up to two years from the date of their injury to file a personal injury claim, in accordance with the state’s statute of limitations. Waiting longer than two years will result in the statute of limitations expiring, and you will likely lose your right to pursue a claim for compensation.

That said, the sooner you reach out to an attorney, the better. Casper & de Toledo is ready to fight for you today. All you need to do is give us a call or contact us online so we can get started working on your personal injury claim.