Seek medical attention - After a fall in Walmart, it's crucial to seek medical attention. Sometimes, we might feel embarrassed after falling and just want to brush it off. However, some injuries take a while to present themselves. For example, if you fall and land hard on your knees, you may not realize your knees are sprained. You might wake up in the middle of the night in excruciating pain and will be unable to work for a few weeks. Likewise, if your fall made you hit your head, you might have a concussion or a brain injury. If your fall landed you on other objects, you might have broken ribs or undetected internal injuries.
Don't put off seeing a doctor. We can't stress this enough, not only for your own health but for medical documentation of your injuries. Medical records are compelling evidence in personal injury lawsuits. Suppose you still haven't seen a doctor. In that case, we recommend you go quickly and relate all your symptoms, pain, and suffering to the examining physician so it will go into your medical records.
Personal injury lawsuits rely heavily on medical expenses. Often, pain and suffering and other noneconomic damages are awarded based upon the sum of your medical bills. Courts and insurance companies generally award noneconomic damages by multiplying medical bills by a factor of how severe your injuries are and how your injuries have affected your life.
Document the evidence - After a fall, if you or someone you're with is able, take a multitude of pictures of the circumstances that led to your fall. Whether you fell because of something in the walkway, a spill, or something dislodged from a shelf, this all needs to be documented. Ask other shoppers that witnessed the accident for their contact information. Their eyewitness statements and testimony will be valuable.
Surveillance video is a core source of evidence. It is almost certainly available in any Walmart store in the country. A Morgan and Morgan premises liability attorney can demand a copy of the tape. However, getting this footage as soon as possible is critical, so it's not erased, recorded over, or somehow vanishes.
Save copies of medical bills and expenses related to the accident, including pay stubs. If you've had to miss out on work due to your injuries, your lost wages should be included in the claim. Lastly, keep your own records of how your injury has changed your life. For example, if you used to enjoy bowling but haven't been able to play a game since you fell, this would be important documentation of how the injury has cost you the enjoyment of life.
Let Morgan and Morgan do the talking for you - Don't make the mistake of talking to Walmart representatives or anyone else for that matter before you have our legal counsel. Remember, they are self-insured, so anyone you talk to may literally be an employee of Walmart and, thus, is not on your side. Do not sign anything, including any incident reports right after the accident. You may be contacted with an offer to settle if Walmart concludes they are liable. While the offer may look good at face value, you need to consider that if your injuries are severe, you may need ongoing medical care in the future. For example, suppose the fall caused damage to ligaments. You may need surgery in the future. If you settle, you give up your right to any future claims regardless of whether your damages are directly related to the fall.
When you fall at Walmart due to some negligence on behalf of the property owner and seek compensation, you must know you're up against one of the largest corporations in the nation. Like most corporations in America today, the number one goal is profit. You deserve better, and Morgan and Morgan can help. Wherever wrongdoers try to escape accountability for their negligence, we're there working on behalf of the everyday citizen. Our motto is "For the People," and it's deeply ingrained in our company culture. If we don't deliver, you don't pay. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.