New Jersey Fall Down Accident Attorneys
We often get the question, "what is a fall down accident?" The easiest way to explain it is to give you examples.
Types of Fall Down Accidents in NJ:
- Fall on Ice
- Fall on Snow
- Fall on property
- Fall in a store
- Fall on broken sidewalk
What to do if you had a fall down accident on someone else's property
- Report the fall. If you fell at a store, have someone find the manager to create an incident report of the accident. If you fell outside of a store, see if a bystander will go inside and get an employee for you. Make a note of any employee names that you speak with.
- Take photos of the area. If you do not have a camera with you, take a very good mental picture of what you fell on and how thick or big the area was. Do you notice rock salt on the ground? Are there snow piles?
- Get witness information. If there are any witnesses to your fall, write down their name, address and telephone number. These witnesses will be very important to your case later on.
- Write down the property address. Make sure you take down the exact address where you fell. Take a photograph of the front of the store if it will help you remember. This way we can locate the owner.
- Write down the exact date of the fall and the weather. Your attorney will get a weather report for the day of your fall and the days prior. However, if you didn't go to the emergency room to document the fall, it can be hard to remember which day the fall happened. Write it down so there is no confusion.
- Go to the ER or doctor. If you are in immediate pain, go to the emergency room. If the pain right now is not that bad where you do not feel you need an emergency room doctor, call your family doctor and make an appointment to be evaluated and have your injuries documented. Your doctor will direct you further for treatment.
- If injured, meet with an lawyer. You will want to schedule an appointment with a personal injury attorney. Most, like our firm, offer free consultations for you to meet the attorney and determine if it is a good fit for you. Hiring an attorney is like finding a mate. Except this mate will only last for a few months-years depending on the length of the claim. Therefore, you want to trust the attorney that you hire and make sure that the attorney will be responsive to your concerns.
- Apply for temporary disability if you can't work. Most people don't realize that NJ have a State Temporary Disability Benefit program that can help you while you are out of work. However, you need to apply within 30 days of the disability starting. If your doctor has told you not to work, you need to obtain the application and make sure everything is submitted promptly.
- Take photographs of your injuries. If you have a broken arm, laying in a hospital bed, stitches, bruises, black and blue marks, etc., document it now before it heals.
- Keep your shoes you were wearing. Put the shoes you were wearing in a bag to keep them safe. When you meet with your attorney, bring them in for that appointment so the attorney can photograph them.
What to bring to your appointment with your attorney
- photographs of area where you fell
- photographs of your injuries
- hospital discharge papers
- address where you fell
- health insurance card
- shoes you were wearing at time of fall
- witness names and addresses
