Take Pictures of Slip and Fall Accidents
If you are in a slip and fall accident, if at all possible take pictures! Often the reason for the slip/fall is the accumulation of snow and/or ice. If your claim goes to a trial, it is obviously beneficial to be able to show the judge the state of the location where the slip/fall occurred. Even if you do not have a camera with you, try to ask a witness to take pictures for you.
Alternatively, pictures taken within 24 to 48 hours will be helpful. Be sure to take lots of pictures from many different angles and even shots with items for size comparison (even a ruler). You can never have too many pictures! Likewise, if you have bruising or cuts/scrapes as a result of your slip/fall, take pictures so you can show the extent of the injury later.
I had a case a few years ago where my client asked her mother go back to the scene the next day and take pictures of an icy sidewalk and parking lot – those pictures were crucial in the trial. The pictures allowed the judge to see exactly where the parking lot and sidewalk were unkept and icy. They also showed the court that the lighting was poor (the mother had taken the pictures at the same time of day as the slip and fall the previous day) and that there were no signs warning the public that the area was icy.
In this day and age of cameras on mobile phones, taking pictures at the scene of an accident is easy and cheap (digital pictures cost nothing – you can never take too many pictures!). Keep in mind that you’ll want to be able to show others, exactly what it was that the owner of the property did (or failed to do) that ‘caused’ your slip and fall (and therefore your injuries).