If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, your lawyer needs proof of your losses to make a compelling case for compensation. This includes photographic evidence, security camera footage, and witness statements.
Property owners must keep their premises free of hazardous conditions. They may be liable for your injuries if they knew about the dangerous condition but failed to remove it or give warning signs.
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Medical Records
To win a slip and fall case, you must prove that someone else—the property owner—was negligent in how they maintained their premises. This includes demonstrating that the property owner knew or should have known of a dangerous condition and failed to remove it, warn customers or guests about it, or fix the problem promptly.
Injured victims must document the severity of their injuries by obtaining medical records from all healthcare providers who treated them. These include hospitals, doctors, specialists, therapists, and other professionals. The medical records should reflect the cause of the injuries, how they are being treated, and their impact on the victim’s life.
The best way to obtain this type of evidence is by working with a Sebastian slip and fall lawyer. Attorneys specializing in slip and fall accidents can quickly identify and secure the evidence you need to build a strong claim. They can also help you recover the total amount of compensation you deserve.
Photographs
When proving negligence, a picture is worth a thousand words. You, or a trusted person, must take photographs of the scene immediately after the incident to preserve valuable evidence for your claim.
Take pictures from several angles to help your attorney fully understand the circumstances surrounding the accident. Your photos can also help show any slippery substance that caused your fall, including track marks, drag marks, or shoe imprints.
Photographs can also show any lack of caution signs, further proving a property owner’s negligent behavior. They can also document any injuries you suffered in the fall, such as cuts, bruises, and other damage.
It’s important to continue taking photos of your injuries throughout the healing process. This will make it harder for the defendant’s defense team to argue that you are exaggerating your injuries. You can also include close-up shots of your injuries to show the extent and gravity of your harm.
Witness Statements
Witness statements, whether written or spoken, can be invaluable pieces of evidence in your slip-and-fall claim. A good lawyer will seek eyewitnesses while their memories are fresh and have them make written statements for your case.
An eyewitness account can provide important insight into a critical element of your claim—whether the property owner was negligent in maintaining their premises. It can also shed light on the cause of your accident, such as an improperly waxed floor or a dangerous condition caused by a defective product.
However, not all witness statements are equal. Witnesses should only write or talk about what they observed. Guesses, opinions, and quick conclusions don’t add much to a claim. A reliable witness can help you establish liability, validate your injuries, and prove the extent of your losses, making it more likely that an insurance company will settle for a fair amount.
Video
In a slip and fall case, evidence such as cell phone videos of the accident or security footage can be vital in your claim. These visual documents can prove various things, such as the condition that caused your accident, how long the hazard existed, and whether the defendant had actual or constructive notice of it.
The best way to obtain such video evidence is through a spoliation letter, which alerts the property owner or business that a personal injury claim has been filed and demands that they preserve relevant footage. However, many companies do not willingly hand over video of an incident, significantly if it does not benefit their company, and they may attempt to destroy or overwrite the evidence. That is why it is essential to have an experienced slip-and-fall lawyer who can request this footage and get it admitted as evidence in court.