Importance of an Accident Report in a Slip and Fall Case

You’re entitled to be compensated for your injuries in a slip and fall accident in Kansas or Missouri. However, it can be more difficult than you might think to prove negligence in the incident.

One way you can strengthen your claim is to file an accident report right after your fall.

How Filing an Accident Report Strengthens Your Accident Claim

After a slip and fall accident, it’s critical to get the necessary medical care for your injuries and overall health. Then, you’ll need to file an incident report. Here are two ways this documentation helps if you need to file a claim with the owner’s insurance company:

Proof of Your Accident

When you file an accident report, you’re documenting the facts of your slip and fall, including details regarding how and when it happened and the reasons for the incident, such as improper flooring, lack of hazard signage, or other contributing factors. You’re also establishing that you gave the property or business owner notice of your fall and possible claim.

Avoid Disputes

Filing a report eliminates any doubt with the at-fault party’s insurance company about whether your slip and fall accident occurred. If a report isn’t filed, some adjusters try to argue that the accident never happened or that a victim suffered his injuries in another incident.

What Information Should You Include in Your Accident Report?

If you fall in a store, restaurant, or another public location, the owner or manager may have a boilerplate accident report form for you to complete. But in other circumstances, such as an incident at someone’s home, you might need to create a report. Either way, the following details are essential to documenting the facts of your accident:

• Date, time, and location of your fall.
• Your name and contact information.
• Description of the accident and the hazardous condition that caused or contributed to it.
• Name and contact information for the owner of the property and any employees who responded to or documented the accident.
• Contact information for any witnesses to your accident.

Keep a copy of the incident report with your medical records and other documentation relating to the accident. If the owner cannot or refuses to give you a copy, take a photo of it with your cellphone camera.

Were You Injured in a Kansas City Area Slip and Fall Accident?

After a premises liability injury, you need to speak with an experienced slip and fall accident lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Kansas City office directly at 816-471-5111 to schedule your free consultation.