In general, a slip and fall (or trip) accident is the type of injury one receives when they fall and injure themselves on someone else’s property due to a hazardous condition. Hazardous conditions can include snow or ice, poor lighting, unseen or unexpected gaps in flooring, or rough patches on the ground. If you hurt yourself on someone else’s property, you may be able to recover damages for medical costs, economic damages, and pain and suffering. Likewise, if someone hurts themselves on your property (personal or business), you could be sued.

If you trip and fall on someone else’s property, make sure to note the condition of the property: take notes, research whether anyone else has had similar accidents, and get eyewitness accounts if they are available and take photos of the conditions, if possible. After the injury, discuss the matter with the owner of the property and have them make a record of it. Be sure to keep a copy for yourself and obtain any relevant information, including names and contact information of store managers, property owners, or anyone else who has had a similar accident.

Finally, note whether the property owner took precautions to prevent the accident, i.e., were there warning signs, was the dangerous condition there long enough for the property owner to notice and remove it, was there a legitimate reason the hazardous condition existed and was there a safer place to have it, and did poor or broken lighting contribute to the accident? These are all important factors in the success or lack thereof in your personal injury case.

You should not wait a long time before filing your claim. The longer you wait, the more difficulty it will be to prove liability. You should also keep medical records of any treatment you had to receive for your injury. If you have any injuries that may disappear over time (such as bruises or cuts) the need for documentation is even more important.

To find out more about making a claim for any injuries sustained during a fall, contact a solicitor who specialises in this kind of work. That solicitor will be able to answer all your questions about the merits of your case, and is aware of the necessary documents and reports that the court will require to process the claim. With so many law firms offering “no win no fee” arrangements, hiring a solicitor may not even be financially prohibitive; whatever payments you make is either taken from the claim or charged directly to the person or company you are suing.