We’ve all slipped, and we’ve all fallen. Yet not all of us have experienced a slip and fall in the legal sense. This is because a slip and fall is a type of personal injury wherein the slip and fall itself is due to the carelessness of another. For example, when somebody washes the floor at the grocery store but they don’t put up a sign to warn about the wet floor. Should you take a tumble there, it would be a slip and fall in the legal sense.

One of the big questions people have when it comes to cases like this is when is it the right time to hire a slip and fall lawyer? We’re of the mind that the sooner, the better. It’s always smart to retain an attorney shortly following your accident so that there is plenty of time to investigate and put together a compelling personal injury lawsuit.

To understand why we believe this, we’re going to start by looking at what a slip and fall lawyer brings to the table when you hire them. Then we’ll contrast that against the consequences of waiting too long to hire an attorney. Finally, we’ll take a look at some of the more common injuries to come from slip and falls and why they matter so much for our discussion today.

Why Is Retaining a Slip and Fall Lawyer So Important?

When you get into a car accident, it is really easy to put together what happened. There are multiple parties present since there is more than one vehicle involved, and there could be additional witnesses there as well. So when it comes time to put together a case about the incident, there is a lot of evidence that can be gathered and a lot of people you can (hopefully) count on.

But slip and fall incidents are different. These tend to happen when people are alone, or at least when nobody is really paying attention to them. For example, say you’re taking the stairs down from your apartment, and you slip and fall. Nobody is around, so how can you prove that it wasn’t just your fault?

One of the best resources available for proving such a thing is a slip and fall attorney. They understand what goes into these cases and know what to look for. In that particular case they may want to examine the steps themselves to see how they are constructed and if any boards are starting to come out; or they may want to investigate the lighting to make sure it is accurate; or even yet it may be that the issue is not with the stairs but with the railing failing to support the average human’s hold.

By working with an attorney, you are able to get expert assistance putting together your case. This does a lot to strengthen your case, because the investigation changes it from just being your word against the oppositions. Instead, it is your word and the evidence you’ve gathered and that can make all the difference in the world.

What Are the Consequences of Waiting Too Long to Hire a Slip and Fall Lawyer?

While there are many benefits that come from hiring a slip and fall lawyer, there are also a handful of consequences that come from not contacting or waiting too long to contact a slip and fall lawyer. How severe you consider these consequences to be will depend on how much the matter means to you, but the average person is likely to find them unacceptable.

Negative consequences that come from waiting too long to hire a slip and fall lawyer include, but are not limited to:

  • Getting too little compensation; this happens when an injured individual speaks with the premise owner’s insurance company without an attorney, as they will make low offers with the promise of a fast turn around
  • Waiting too long often results in losing evidence; the owner of the premises may rush to fix whatever issue caused the incident and in doing so destroy the evidence you need in order to seek justice from the situation
  • It damages your credibility when you wait too long to push forward with a slip and fall lawsuit; questions such as “Why didn’t you come forward sooner?” and the like abound and can make the fight for compensation feel like an uphill battle
  • If you wait too long then you can lose the chance to pursue the case at all, since personal injuries like those from a slip and fall have a fairly short statute of limitations

What Injuries are Common When Dealing With Slip and Fall Accidents?

While most slip and fall incidents end with only bruised knees and a sore backside, these are the lucky ones. A slip and fall can easily result in serious injuries such as:

  • Herniated discs
  • Slipped discs
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Spinal cord damage
  • Whiplash
  • Torn ligaments
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Fractures
  • Soft-tissue injuries
  • Many, many more

A quick glance at that list, which is far from complete, and you can see how many of these injuries aren’t just serious but may also be expensive and ongoing care. If you aren’t sure of how you could afford medical care for an injury such as mentioned above, then you should see why it is vital that you contact a slip and fall lawyer in Houston, Texas, to help with your case.

When is Too Soon to Contact a Slip and Fall Lawyer?

If you haven’t slipped and fallen yet, then it is too soon. Otherwise, you should reach out to an attorney after you seek medical treatment for the initial accident. This will give your attorney plenty of time to investigate the circumstances of the case.

Many people don’t know if they have a case on their hands when they first fall. But it is better to act quickly, to speak with an attorney, and determine whether or not you do than it is to try to sort it out alone. You’ll get quicker answers by seeking professional advice, and should your case have some validity, then it allows you and your attorney to start moving forward sooner rather than later.