What to Do If You Fall and Injure Yourself in A Public Place or Venue

What do you do if you fall and injure yourself in a public venue? The answer may seem obvious, however, often people simply don’t know what to do or who to ask for assistance. Here are some useful steps to take if you have been unfortunate enough to suffer an injury in a public venue:

Seek Medical Attention

The first thing you should do is seek medical attention. If it’s an emergency, then go to a hospital. However if you feel like you can wait, then schedule an appointment with your GP as soon as one is available.

It is important to outline all your injuries to the Doctor. Often, people focus on the main injury and neglect to mention lesser issues. Your treating Doctor will want to know about any injuries that you may have. Sometimes issues arise a few days after an accident that were not immediately evident at the time. It is a good idea to document same with your GP.

Determine The Reason For The Fall

This will usually be obvious. For example, a floor may be wet without a “wet floor” sign being in place to warn people of the hazard. There may be an uneven floor surface or cables left in an untidy fashion creating a trip hazard. In such circumstances the venue may be liable for their negligence and failure to carry out a duty of care towards their patrons. Whatever the reason is, do your best to identify it and make note of it.

Document

Make notes of everything you can remember about the venue and the accident. Write down all details, no matter how small they may seem. The time it occurred, who you reported it to, what they said etc. Documenting the circumstances surrounding your fall will be useful at a later stage. Often, the memory can become hazy and people can forget a comment that was made by a staff member or something that could be important.  

Request Surveillance

Most public venues are equipped with surveillance cameras. However, the owners of the venue or the local Council may not be keen to show you any CCTV footage. They often say that this is for data protection reasons. This may be one of the reasons. Another may be that the CCTV does not show the venue in a positive light.

Establish if there is CCTV that captured the accident. Check to see if there are cameras in that location. It’s ok to ask the manager why for example the floor was not cleaned properly and if there is CCTV. Take a note of what they say about CCTV. The likelihood is that they will not provide you with the footage, so it’s a good idea to contact a Joseph McNally Personal Injury Solicitors who will write a letter to the venue specifically requesting that the CCTV and any other evidence be retained.

If You Have An Accident in A Public Place or Venue Contact Joseph McNally Solicitors

Joseph McNally Personal Injury Solicitors will evaluate the circumstances of the accident and explain your options to you.