Many people do not think of the possibilities of injury when visiting someone else?s house. Think about the possibility now. What would you do if you were severely injured while visiting a friend?s house? What if the injury was caused by their lack of upkeep within the house? Who would cover your expensive medical costs? Who would pay for the time at work that you lose, as a result of the injury? Personal injuries are always a possibility, regardless of where you visit. If you find that you are severely injured at someone else?s household, remember the following steps.
Receive medical help
Taking care of your health is always priority. If you require medical care, this should be the first step always. Do not yet worry about payments or who is at fault. Simply call for help and receive the medical care that you require. If you are unable to call for help yourself, request that someone else does. It does not matter what type of injury you have sustained, take care of your physical health first.
Keep medical documents
Whether or not you are admitted to the hospital, you will receive a variety of paperwork. You will receive documentation about the types of injuries suffered. You will receive post operative care, including any required time off of work. Finally, you will receive a bill. This bill will be important in your premise liability case. The main thing you are suing for with bodily injury is your incurred medical costs. Most personal injury cases are brought to court to negotiate a settlement amount for any and all medical costs. With approximately 95 to 96% of personal injury cases being settled pretrial, it is important that you have access to these documents as soon as possible.
Consult with a personal injury attorney
After your medical care is completed and you are recovering, you will want to contact a personal injury attorney. In fact, you might consult with numerous ones before choosing the one that will represent you. You are going to look for things like experience and legal processes. You will want a personal injury attorney who is specifically experienced with premise liability cases. It can also be helpful to have someone that is familiar with your specific type of injury. Common premise liability cases include slippery floors, dog bites, and exterior structure problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur in the U.S. each year.
Proof of premise liability
It will also be important to have proof of premise liability. This means that you have some type of proof that a lack of upkeep or maintenance on the property is what led to your personal injury. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 17,000 slip and fall accidents (also known as premise liability accidents) occur every year. The household owner might be helpful in providing this proof. Otherwise, you might have to obtain the proof on your own. You can provide proof with an inspection, photograph, or professional testimony. In many cases, your personal injury attorney will help you gather this needed information.
Negotiate a proper settlement amount
Considering that it is likely that your premise liability case will be settled pretrial, you will want to negotiate a proper settlement amount during this time. After you have settled, you will not be able to go back for additional expenses. It is important to evaluate your expected medical costs, as well as any estimated time that you will miss from work. You may require a professional testimony, such as a physician to speak on your medical condition and any special requirements of it.
Premise liability accidents often occur on someone?s property, due to neglect of maintenance. This can be a floor that is slippery without a warning sign. It can also be a dog bite on a neighbor?s property. When you suffer an injury while visiting someone else?s property, you will want to keep proper documentations, consult with a personal injury attorney, and collect any evidence or proof of premise liability.