What to Do If You’re Injured in a Public Place
When visiting public places like parks, stores, and restaurants, most people don’t expect to be injured during such routine outings. However, the reality is that activities like shopping, dining out, attending college classes, and going to a museum can all lead to severe premises liability injuries. While the specific duties owed to the public vary from state to state and depend on numerous other factors like the type of visitor, owners and operators of public places have a duty to keep their premises safe to a certain extent.
People who have been injured in a public place are likely feeling confused and overwhelmed, but knowing what to do can help you immediately following the accident and later on if you want to file a premises liability claim.
Seek Medical Attention
The priority after any type of accident is to assess your condition and determine if medical attention is needed. If you’re asking yourself whether or not you need to be seen by a medical professional, the answer is yes. Even if your injuries do not seem severe at the time, you should always follow up with a doctor to ensure you are not injured more seriously than you realize.
Some injuries can take hours or days to become symptomatic, and many others worsen without treatment. Not only is medical treatment the best way to protect your health and safety after an accident, but it is also beneficial to your premises liability case. Medical documentation of the harm you suffered after being injured in a public place is valuable evidence.
Collect Evidence
Gathering relevant evidence is another key step after an accident in a public place. It will be up to your lawyer to prove the extent of your injuries and the impact they’ve had on your life, as well as to show that the other party is responsible for your injuries. To do this, your attorney will need evidence.
The type of evidence you will need depends on the specific circumstances of your incident, but many injury claims involving public place accidents will benefit from evidence such as:
· Police reports
· Photos of the scene
· Video footage
· Medical records
· Eyewitness statements
Contact a Premises Liability Attorney
Having legal representation when fighting for fair compensation is a must. An attorney can help you calculate the full value of your claim, which includes elements like non-economic damages. Knowing what your claim is worth will help you determine if the other party is offering a fair settlement amount. Your premises liability lawyer will also know what evidence is likely to be most compelling, what deadlines are upcoming, and what you are required to do as part of your injury claim.
The CP Law Group has offices in Atlanta and Chicago to serve clients injured by the negligence of property owners, motorists, and other third parties. Call us at 844-546-4878 (that’s 844-5-IM-HURT) or reach out on social media to @TheCPLawGroup to schedule a free consultation.