While pratfalls and slips might seem funny in the movies, it's much less funny to find yourself on the floor of a shop after you've slipped. If you find yourself injured by the fittings of one of your local stores, here is what to do to protect your legal rights.

Take photos with your camera phone

If you or any of your shopping buddies has a camera phone, take some photos of the incident area before the staff come to clean up the scene. Seeing the surroundings will help the courts determine if the store has been negligent in the way they have maintained and signposted the area. The date and time info on the phone image can help confirm your story on what happened.

If there are any witnesses to the incident, ask them for contact details in case you need to contact them later on to confirm part of the incident. It can be easy to miss details if you are hurt and confused.

Report the issues to a staff member

Ensure that a staff member has seen the fall and takes down your details before you head off for medical care. This allows them to ask you any questions about how it happened and to isolate the dangerous area so that other customers are not injured. This provides an additional backup of the time and locations where the incident occurred.

Get immediate medical care

Even if you feel all right, getting immediate medical attention and ensuring any scans or braces are applied not only ensure the best medical care for you, but also makes it clear which injuries are directly related to the fall. By getting immediate medical care there cannot be confusion about the effect of any other activities you do afterwards.

Make sure to keep all of your records in one place and keep a track of any medical costs you have, including taxis and medications from the pharmacy.

Be sure to follow all of the doctor's advice and attend all follow-up appointments. You may be found liable for part of the injury if you don't make reasonable efforts to keep up with your medical care.

Consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer

An experienced personal injury lawyer can review your case and give you specific advice on the most advantageous way to proceed. In many cases, a settlement can be negotiated without going to court, minimising the fees and time involved for both parties.

For more information, contact a business such as Kemp Law.

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