How Long Do You Have to Go to the Doctor After a Slip and Fall?

Seek Medical Attention Promptly

One of the first things you should do following a slip, trip, or fall accident is to seek medical attention. It can be a common misconception that even if you don’t feel immediate symptoms, you haven’t sustained serious injuries. This misconception can worsen unnecessary problems or injuries due to a lack of immediate medical attention.

Some injuries, such as those involving soft tissue like a concussion, may go undetected for a while and can progress under the surface, leading to more extensive issues. For example, suppose you hit your head when you slipped or tripped, and since you don’t feel dizzy or have a headache, you assume that you are fine and without significant injury.

What you may not realize is that you could’ve experienced a concussion or traumatic brain injury due to your head colliding with a hard surface. If these go undetected, they can lead to unnecessary further complications such as hemorrhaging and, in some cases, even become fatal.

Don’t Make These Simple Mistakes

Many people feel self-conscious after falling in a public setting and just want to get out of the area and return to a place where they feel safe. While this is common, it can mean that you’re not adequately gathering the necessary information regarding where the accident took place or not caring for the injuries you may have sustained.

Assuming that you just have a headache due to stress – many have experienced this after an accident and just assume it’s stress-induced. The problems under the surface could be severe. They may be quickly addressed with a medical professional rather than allowed to fester and worsen because you choose not to seek prompt medical attention.

Pride – as much as we hate to admit it at times, pride is powerful. We may assume that the pain will go away in a few days or that we didn’t fall that hard, so there must not be any significant injuries. Unfortunately, pride can lead to worse injuries without proper medical care immediately following the accident.

Proper Documentation is Critical

If you’ve never experienced a significant injury, you may not realize how quickly bills can pile up while you are missing income to take time away from work to tend to your injuries and heal. This situation can result in a perfect storm of unnecessary financial duress.

Documenting everything you can following an accident can help ensure that you are in an excellent position to seek damages in the future should you choose to do so.

Get pictures of the scene, such as what the environment or surroundings looked like that day (think of any weather-related issues, such as ice, that you can capture). If you are unable to gather this information, see if you can delegate it to a friend or family member. You may also be able to retrieve video surveillance if the accident occurred in a public setting.

Obtain contact information from any witnesses who may have been close by so you can reach out to them in the future if necessary.

Seeking medical attention immediately is incredibly helpful as it can prove that injuries sustained were directly from the accident and not other sources. You can obtain medical reports, test results, X-rays, treatment plans, prescribed medicine or therapy, diagnosis information, and more from doctor visits. All of these can be crucial to seeking compensation in the future.

Burden of Proof

Should you choose to pursue compensation in the future, your personal injury attorney and you will have the burden of proving that due to the unsafe conditions, the injuries you sustained were a direct result. Should you wait to seek medical care, it may leave the question in court as to why you waited. Were the injuries not that serious? Did the injuries sustained actually happen as a direct result of the hazard on the property?

By seeking immediate medical attention, it alleviates any room for questions and can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

What Types of Damages May I Pursue After a Slip and Fall?

Medical bills are the first and most common thought following a slip and fall accident, but medical bills aren’t the only things you can pursue following a slip and fall. You may be entitled to pain and suffering following the fall, which your experienced attorney can help you to calculate.

You also may be entitled to projected future income that may be lost due to the earning capacity being diminished due to the injuries. The amount of future income can also be calculated through your experienced attorney so you can ensure that you are financially taken care of now and in the future and won’t have to worry about how to provide for yourself and your family moving forward.

Your Fierce Advocate

Don’t face unnecessary injuries and medical bills alone. By working with an experienced personal injury attorney, you can ensure that you are taking the necessary steps to protect yourself and your financial future.

We offer free consultations. Call our office today at (720) 707-0870 to set up yours. We can remove some of the stress by handling communication with insurance companies, the property owners involved, and more. We can also help guide you to the proper medical doctors to get the care that you need and prevent further or worsening injuries as a result of your accident.

We have helped several clients in Colorado move forward with their lives, ensure proper healing from their injuries, and avoid financial distress. We look forward to serving you and your family as well.