Many accidents, and slip-and-falls are no exception, are caused by someone’s negligence. Property owners, managers, and workers on shift have an obligation to keep the premises in a clean and safe condition for customers and other visitors. If they breach their legal duty of care by failing in this obligation, they can be held responsible for payment of damages that are intended to compensate a person who is injured as a result of their negligence. 

A Personal Injury Claim Is Intended to Compensate People with Losses Due to Others’ Negligence

Being injured in a slip-and-fall can leave you with significant medical expenses and other losses, both monetary and non-monetary. You probably have a mountain of medical bills. Your injuries may have prevented you from working, leading to lost wages and benefits. Then there is your trauma—your pain and suffering. But how do you go about putting a value on that?

Luckily there are laws in place that will allow you to seek compensation through a personal injury claim. Filing this claim with the help of an experienced attorney can result in an outcome involving a more substantial sum of money being paid to you as compensation. And if your lawyer will take your case on contingency—which is the typical way these cases are handled—you don’t need any money to begin and there’s no reason not to get started as soon as possible.

What to Do Immediately after a Fall in a Waffle House

If you’ve just fallen in a Waffle House or a similar restaurant, there are a few things you should be sure to do to help protect any potential claim:

  • Talk to bystanders and get their contact information if they saw what happened.
  • Create an accident report with a member of the business’s management. This creates a record of the accident itself, establishing it as fact. Get a copy of the report.
  • Document the accident scene and the cause of the accident with photos. Your smartphone camera will be fine for this.
  • Get a medical evaluation even if you feel you don’t need it. Your healthcare provider will assess your injuries and document information in your medical records that will be critical to a legal claim if you pursue one.

Working with a Lawyer Can Help You Get the Most from Your Claim

While anyone can file a claim, once that’s done you’ll be fighting the insurance company. Insurance companies are skilled at taking advantage of victims who don’t have legal representation. Sometimes they just refuse to fairly settle, as in Kelly v. Waffle House, Inc. Your lawyer will be your advocate and your expert negotiator. If your case is one where the insurance company will not offer reasonable compensation, your lawyer will be by your side in litigation as well.