Preparing a strategic plan if you’ve suffered a slip or fall is essential because the results and outcomes of a slip or fall can involve multiple facets.
Just like any other “that’s not going to happen to me” thought, one doesn’t typically consider for a moment the idea of slipping or falling…until it happens. When a slip or fall does occur, most people are genuinely shocked and somewhat traumatized to find themselves suddenly on the neighbor’s floor or in stunning pain from a broken bone. In fact, most of us make the assumption that slips and falls happen rarely, if ever. The stark statistics say otherwise. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, over 8 million people each year seek medical treatment for a slip or fall.1
This shockingly high number suggests that a fall on the cart path at your favorite golf club or a slip on the wet aisle in the neighborhood grocery store could possibly be in your future. The truth is surprising: slips and falls occur regularly in the workplace, the community and in our homes. Uneven stairs, moss-covered sidewalks and old, poorly-carpeted walkways may bring fractures or other injuries to adults and children alike.
What is your strategic plan of action if you’ve suffered an injury because of a slip or a fall? In the remainder of this article, the components of your personal strategic plan will be outlined and detailed. With your own plan of action prepared, you can confidently walk through the steps you’ll need to take to effectively obtain the best solution.
The first and most critically important first component in your strategic plan will be to contact slip and fall lawyers who have the expertise and background of knowledge to legally assess your case. An excellent lawyer will first listen to your experience, noting when you fell or slipped and how that incident occurred, and from there, continue building the case until all details are noted and the full amount of compensation is determined on your behalf. In the event of a slip or a fall, your experienced lawyer is your best asset and the largest component of your strategic plan.
During the initial review of your case, your lawyer may ask several questions related to your actions, your energy levels on the day the accident occurred, and your mental processes at the time of the injury. Was there an obstacle in the way of your path? Was the room dimly lit? How did the heavy pieces of equipment cause you to fall? These questions are indicative of those your lawyer will ask and, while the questions may be time-consuming to answer, your lawyer will want to have every vital fact in hand before making the initial report. These questions will play an important role in your lawyer’s initial assessment and potential findings for solutions.
The second component of your strategic plan should include the results of your medical tests, treatments, surgeries, and, if required, dates for rehabilitation and other benchmarks of your case. Your physician will have the medical reports of your injury to determine the extent and severity of the injury. This critical information forms an important element to be presented to your lawyer, as well, as it will verify your statements and help in assessing compensation estimates.
If your injury from a fall or slip occurred in the workplace, you may be required to submit information to your employer’s physician, the employer’s insurance company and other representatives of your employer. This may be the third component in your strategic plan. Follow the advice and counsel of your own lawyer in such circumstances, as those working on behalf of your employer will typically want to authenticate your injuries, while at the same time, suggesting a lower amount of compensation than what your lawyer has indicated as the full amount you may need for compensation. For these reasons, you’ll want your personal lawyer to act on your behalf in all negotiations to secure the compensation needed, regardless of others involved in your case.
This leads to the fourth component of your strategic plan. Remember that the best person to represent you is not yourself. Does this sound shockingly cold? After all, you were the injured party, right? If you are considering ditching representation and taking on your own case, take note of the following: When comparing individual representation versus the outcomes of lawyer representation, lawyers obtain the highest compensation in approximately 70% of the cases they represent.2 The fact is most of us are too personally involved and emotionally tied to our own injury cases. It is extremely difficult to remain impartial and fair while discussing pain, broken bones, and surgery while negotiating the compensation amounts deserved as a result of these ordeals. Your lawyer will offer an objective and fully-detailed picture of the results of the slip or fall. The truth is an excellent lawyer can typically obtain a better result than an individual attempting to self-represent.
The fifth and final component of your strategic plan involves you alone. While your strategic plan may not look exactly like the one outlined here, you’ll want to take some time to personally assess your well-being and record your findings in your strategic plan. Consider your emotional health, any new fears and anxieties that arise as a result of your injury, your physical well-being and the journey to full restoration or that of adjustment to new ways of living. You’ll want to take time to examine your personal finances and investments, determining the amounts required for your future and, of special note, including injuries that may cause a relapse or future pain. You are at the core of this case and you’ll want to know yourself and your needs as your lawyer enters into representation and negotiations on your behalf.
Preparing a strategic plan if you’ve suffered a slip or fall is essential because the results and outcomes of a slip or fall can involve multiple facets. The complexity of your case needs to add up to and ending that includes reasonable, fair compensation. You’ll want to first contact an experienced slip and fall lawyer, then build your medical file as the second component. If yours is a worker’s compensation case, you’ll want to position your strategic plan where it best fits. In the fourth component of your strategic plan, you’ll allow your lawyer to conduct the best representation possible, rather than attempting to represent yourself. And, perhaps most strategically important of all components in your plan, you’ll evaluate your well-being and assess where and how you’ll be able to successfully live out your future. Wishing you the best!
Sources:
1. https://nfsi.org/nfsi-research/research-library/
2. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/
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