In a San Diego slip and fall case, it can be difficult to know what is necessary, and what can help a case. Understanding the information and legal requirements necessary to get a case for a compensation claim started can be daunting and difficult, especially when you have just gone through a fairly traumatic event.

Because of this, it is important that you know the steps and information necessary to get started. Many of these types of evidence are time sensitive, so knowing to look for it early on can help expedite the process without losing any medical attention. Here are the different types of evidence you will need to obtain for your slip and fall case, and which ones are more important to prioritize.

Types of Evidence Needed

There are plenty of different types of evidence that can be collected when attempting to get a claim approved by the courts for a slip and fall case. These can be broken down into several areas, along with several minor areas within those evidence groups as well. Each one plays a significant part in completing a case, so none should be overlooked when you attempt to collect them.

Photographic

In San Diego slip and fall cases, photographs and pictures are your number one ally. The saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” can be even more important during a legal case such as this. It might as well be, “A picture is worth a million words.” during a case where the immediate cause can sometimes be swept up by the time witnesses come about.

With a slip and fall accident, you may be categorized into one or more of these three case types:

• Slip on ice, snow, or other foreign substance
• Trip or slip on a floor or type of threshold
• A fall or trip on the stairs

Depending on your case type, you may need a specific type of picture. For instance, if you are involved in a slip on ice, snow, or other foreign substance, you may need to get a picture immediately when you have the chance. This is because the substance or reason for the slip and fall may be gone by the time you come back, even if it is for a short while. Capturing that type of evidence should be your top priority after being treated.

If your case falls under a trip or slip on a floor or type of threshold case, then you may be able to wait a bit, in a period under a week or so, to get the pictures taken. This is because the issue or cause of injury tends to be around longer, as it may be due to faulty architecture, or a structural flaw that has not yet been corrected.

With a case such as a fall or trip on the stairs, you may be looking to get a picture of the stairs itself, or of the stairs in their entirety. This is because the cause of the injury may be linked to both the stairs, and possible lack of safety railings or guardrails. In this type, the hazard is the lack of safety, which can be a bit trickier to document, but will still be there after a few days.

Written Statements from Witnesses

Written statements, or verbal reports from witnesses at the scene of the injury can be indispensable. Although some may state that eyewitness accounts can be spotty and full of holes if the testimony is taken too late into the court case, eyewitness accounts bring a third party view into your case, and can help to solidify some loose ends that may not have been able to be closed during the courtroom banter.

Not only that, but if the testimony is written down, or verbally translated, relatively soon after the injury, it can be seen as solid proof of whether or not there was indeed a hazard.

Official Reports

Different from witness testimonies and reports, official reports cover items such as police reports from the scene of the accident, medical documentation and visit reports and details from a hospital, and other such facility documentation that may be provided. In these cases, the information in these reports are considered hard fact, as they cannot be changed during the course of your claim for compensation.

For instance, if you were to have an x-ray taken at a hospital, and it showed that there were minor fractures throughout the wrist that were not previously there before the accident, the courts would be able to assume the injuries were produced due to the accident. This would not be able to be refuted, as it came from a completely unbiased source, and would not be able to be tampered with by either party, either.

Proper Warning Available

Lastly, it is important to note if there was any proper warning available to be seen clearly. If you are visiting the site of a factory warehouse, which may handle large and oversized metals, pieces, or containers, the property owners and managers are regulated to put caution signs, danger warnings, and other such safety measures to help ensure that no accidents occur. If you are injured due to a slip and fall on such properties, then you may be entitled to a bit more than you thought previously if the property owner in question did not have the required warnings posted.

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, contact us at 1-800-219-3577 for a free no obligation case evaluation.  We are experienced San Diego slip and fall lawyers.