Steps To Take After a Texas Slip and Fall Accident at Work
Your employer or the jobsite owner will have potentially many sophisticated lawyers ready to begin work on the case immediately following a workplace accident. This army of trained professionals trying to save money will also include huge insurance companies with policy dollars on the line. You need an experienced lawyer on your side to explain your injury at work rights and to protect your own interests, as all of these parties are looking out for the other side.
To both ensure your health and safety as well as take the proper legal steps toward the best possible case, you should:
- Report the slip and fall at work to the employer, property owner, supervisor, property manager, and/or other responsible party or parties. Do not leave the premises (except under emergent medical conditions) until you report the incident and ensure an incident report is created.
- Seek medical treatment immediately following your premises liability accident. If you feel like it’s needed, call an ambulance, but regardless you should see a doctor as soon as possible for a thorough medical evaluation.
- Follow medical treatment recommendations by attending all recommended appointments, undergoing all needed diagnostic testing, taking all prescribed medications, going to physical therapy, and otherwise adhering to your doctors’ treatment plan.
- Don’t give a statement and don’t sign documents. If an insurance company representative asks you to give a recorded statement or to sign any documents, don’t.
- Contact a Dallas slip and fall attorney as soon as your medical condition is stable and you are able to. Premises liability cases are complex – and no one should be going up against company lawyers and insurance companies without professional counsel.
Slip and fall accidents are common enough that they are covered by their own area of personal injury law called premises liability. Slip and fall accident cases are some of the most common injury claims in the country. If you slip and fall at work, the steps you take are different than if you slip and fall on private property or in your personal life. If the at fault party or parties’ negligence caused your slip and fall on the job and you were injured as a result, you should talk to a Dallas premises liability lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your options.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents on the Job
Some of the most common causes of workplace slip and fall accidents include:
- Cluttered walkways
- Cords running across areas where workers walk
- Employers not providing workers with the proper footwear for their job duties and work conditions
- Ice, snow, rain, and other weather conditions
- Improper or inadequate training
- Lack of handrails
- Lack of non-skid surfacing
- Loose flooring, carpeting, rugs, or mats
- Poor lighting
- Potholes in parking lots
- Spilled food or liquids
- Trash or debris on the floor
- Treated floors (chemicals, mopped, waxed, polished, etc.)
- Uneven surfaces without warning signs
Common Slip and Fall Injuries at Work
Below is a list of common slip and fall accident injuries that happen at work:
- Back injury
- Broken bones or fracture
- Concussion
- Cuts or scrapes
- Dental injury
- Facial injury
- Head injury
- Internal bleeding
- Internal injuries
- Shoulder injury
- Spinal cord injury
In some extreme slip and fall accidents, you can have a catastrophic injury. If you have severe injuries to your body from a work-related accident, it can become fatal.
What Employers Should Do to Keep Employees Safe at Work
Employers, job site supervisors, property owners, and other responsible parties can and should take the following steps to keep Texas workers safe from slip and fall, welding accidents and to prevent safety hazards in the workplace:
- Post warnings if floors are being cleaned or are otherwise slick or wet
- Routinely inspect floors, stairs, and other walking surfaces for issues so they can be repaired
- Clean up items that spill on the floor
- Keep walkways clear, removing any obstacles
- Install no-slip tread on stairs
- Ensure appropriate lighting is both installed and operational
- Pay attention to and address any issues created by weather conditions
- Properly train all workers regarding workplace slip and fall hazards
A workplace injury can be devastating, especially if it keeps you from returning to work. In the state of Texas, you have a two-year time limit within which you can take legal action following a premises liability accident. The clock starts running on the day the slip and fall occurs. If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall at work, you should speak with a Dallas work injury lawyer as soon as possible to get legal advice about your situation.
Don’t communicate with your company or its insurer without legal guidance as you could ruin a potential legal claim for compensation without even realizing it. Contact Wolf Law, PLLC for a free consultation on any personal injury case. Experienced trial lawyer Julie Wolf and her team are ready to give you guidance and answer any questions you have, free of charge.