Slip-and-fall accidents are no joke; they can cause devastating injuries, which can result in expensive medical bills. A slip-and-fall accident can happen when a person falls and loses balance due to an unsafe surface or a ground-level obstruction. If a slip-and-fall results from the negligence of another and caused injuries or made the victim suffer financial losses, this kind of accident may warrant legal action.
While slip-and-fall accidents are often portrayed as a slapstick comedy with humor, these types of incidences are not a laughing matter. According to the BLS, more than 70 people in Kentucky are killed each year, and many more sustain injuries in work-related accidents.
At first, the injuries caused by slip and fall accidents are difficult to detect; but they can cause serious injuries. With adrenaline running high accompanied by a feeling of embarrassment, victims of slip and fall accidents may initially fail to admit or recognize that they are hurt. As such, you should know how to identify an injury in such a scenario and to know what steps need to be taken.
If you or a loved one were hurt in a slip-and-fall accident, our experienced Bowling Green slip and fall attorneys in Kentucky or Tennessee can help you file a lawsuit for compensation. Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers are ready to help.
What’s Covered In This Guide:
- Seek Medical Assistance Immediately
- Immediately Notify Your Employer
- Document Everything
- File Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
- Check Your Wage Benefit Calculations
1. Seek Medical Assistance Immediately
After a slip-and-fall accident happens, it’s possible to think your injuries are not very serious. However, there are several key reasons that will make you want to get medical treatment immediately after a slip and fall accident.
First, most injuries don’t present any danger signs right away; for instance, a traumatic brain injury may fail to show any symptoms after the initial impact. To determine the possibility of any potential injuries that could have been incurred due to the accident, a doctor will conduct a thorough examination.
Second, you may decide not to seek medical attention immediately and then start developing symptoms a few days after a slip-and-fall. In this case, the insurance companies are likely to claim that you did not sustain serious injuries. They will also attempt to say that you wouldn’t have waited that long to see a doctor if you sustained serious injuries. They may also claim that the injury in question is not even related to the accident. They usually do this to minimize the amount of compensation they offer or fail to pay anything at all. For these reasons, hiring a Bowling Green personal injury lawyer will help.
2. Immediately Notify Your Employer
In Bowling Green, Kentucky, to collect on a workers compensation case you must immediately notify your employer or supervisor of your injury.
3. Document Everything
As soon as you are able to do so, write down everything you can remember about the accident. If possible, take pictures of the scene before it gets cleaned up or altered in any way. Also, be sure to keep all receipts for anything related to your recovery process.
If you were hurt at work due to a slip-and-fall accident that was not your fault, talk to an experienced employment law attorney right away. Your employer should be held responsible for their part in your injury and cover any costs associated with your recovery.
4. File Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
When your slip-and-fall accident happens on the job, you may be entitled to file a claim for workers’ compensation. Usually, the insurance company of your employer will handle this claim and payout any funds related to it. But if you go it alone, the insurance company may fail to accept liability or make payment, citing false claims against you or finding reasons not to pay.
To get started with filing your worker’s compensation claim, get in touch with our Bowling Green personal injury lawyers today. We are available 24/7 for free consultations that can help you understand if you have a case or not.
5. Check Your Wage Benefit Calculations
In some cases, if you are injured at work and can’t return to your job for an extended period of time, you should be eligible for wage benefits. This is a type of insurance payout that helps to make up for the money you lose by not being able to work.
You will be entitled to temporary wage loss (66.66% average weekly wage) while you cannot work and a percent of disability if you suffer a permanent injury. Further, in workers compensation cases, your employer’s insurance will pay your medical bills when you fall at work in Bowling Green.
To learn more about wage benefit calculations and how they may apply to your case, contact our Bowling Green workers’ compensation lawyers today. We can help you understand your rights and guide you through the filing process.
Contact a Bowling Green Slip and Fall Accident Attorney Today
If you were injured in a Bowling Green slip-and-fall accident and you were not at fault, speak with an experienced attorney immediately. Between dealing with time off work, mounting medical bills, and calls from insurance companies while dealing with the aftermath of the accident, you can be overwhelmed. The team at Flora Templeton Stuart is here to help. Contact us today for a free no-obligation consultation; we will explain all your options and help you get the compensation you deserve.
