Shopping is something that many look forward to on the weekends or their time off. For many people, they are patronizing hotels or rentals and patronizing businesses. Unfortunately, not all hotels, rental units and businesses practice safety for their patrons. Every year, thousands of injuries occur at these establishments due to negligence of the premises-owner. There are important things you should consider if you, a friend or a loved one fall and are injured due to negligence of a hotel, rental or business.

First, if you have a slip and fall or trip and fall, worry about your health. In many cases, people feel embarrassed that they had a fall and have a tendency to refuse medical care. However, if you have sustained injuries, stay down and accept the employee’s or management’s invitation for emergency medical care. If you have severe injuries, you may even need to call 911 for help if no person is there to call for you.

Second, if you do not require EMS and you can walk out of the business, seek medical care immediately. In some cases, injured persons feel they can “Walk it off” or “Rest and the pain will go away.” That is a common human hope and expectation. Regardless, after a fall at a business premises, get to a hospital emergency room or medical doctor as soon as possible. While you are there, report any bruise, cut, bump, pain or problem you are experiencing. Ultimately, your pains may go away. But, if not, documentation of the problems shortly after the fall is important.

Third, if you or a loved one have had a fall, take pictures or video of the dangerous condition and immediately report it to the business owner. Do not leave taking pictures or finding out about your fall up to the business owner. Report it immediately to a manager or employee and, if you can get photographs or video of the dangerous condition, utilize your cell phone or camera to do so.

Fourth, if there are witnesses who saw the fall and are willing to help you, get their names and contact information. Do not expect that they will call you or that the business employees or management will take down their information. Make your best effort to get the names and contact information for witnesses. A good tip is to ask them for an email address. People often change cell phone numbers, but email addresses seldom change. So, if you can get an email address for a witness, that is helpful.

Keep in mind these are tips that can help you in the event of a fall. Absent these tips being followed, there may still be a case against the business owner. There have been many changes to the law in Florida recently making slip / trip and falls cases much more difficult. However, I have been able to successfully help my clients make great recoveries on these cases, even under the new laws. If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip / trip and fall, have them contact me immediately so that I can help.