What to do after your slip and fall at work
If you got hurt in a slip and fall accident on the job, it’s important that you take certain steps right away to protect your health and your rights, including:
- Tell your supervisor at work you got hurt in a slip and fall accident on the job. Document the incident in writing and keep a copy for your own records.
- Seek immediate medical attention. Don’t take chances with your health. Have a medical professional examine you right away. If your injuries seem life-threatening, go to an emergency room, whether it’s MountainView Hospital Emergency Room in Las Vegas or another hospital near you.
- If possible, take pictures of where you got hurt. This is especially important if there were unmarked objects or other hazards that caused your slip and fall accident at work.
- Follow your doctor’s instructions. If the doctor who examined you tells you to come back for a follow-up doctor’s appointment or take several days or longer off to rest and recover, take their advice. Failure to do so could hurt your ability to recover and to get the financial compensation you rightfully deserve.
- If a co-worker saw your slip and fall accident, ask them to make a statement about what they saw. If you’re not sure how to do this, ask a lawyer. They can help.
- If an insurance company contacts you about your accident, make sure you talk to an attorney first. Anything you say could later be twisted against you.
- Contact a slip and fall accident lawyer as soon as possible. The sooner you have an attorney representing you, the better the outcome of your case in many circumstances.
How much is my case worth?
There’s no set dollar amount when it comes to slip and fall accident claims or lawsuits involving work-related injuries. Some cases might be worth thousands of dollars. Others might be worth significantly more. Our case results demonstrate that.
So if your employer or anyone else tries to tell you how much your case is worth, be suspicious, especially if they don’t know the details of your case. You know what happened. Make sure you talk to a slip and fall accident lawyer as soon as possible to better understand your legal rights.
Can you sue for a work injury?
In general, you cannot file a lawsuit against your employer for an on-the-job injury, although there are exceptions. You can file a workers’ compensation claim,* but the tradeoff at the heart of workers’ compensation is that your employer gets immunity from civil lawsuits. However, this legal protection only applies to your direct employer. If a negligent third party caused your injury, you can file a third-party lawsuit against them. Some scenarios where you might be able to file a lawsuit for a slip and fall at work include:
- You were injured on another company’s premises (for instance, an off-site meeting).
- A third-party company is responsible for maintenance of your company’s premises.
- Your company rents your office space from another business.
- You were hurt at a client’s home.
This is important because a third-party claim can provide compensation for costs not covered by workers’ comp, such as pain and suffering. So, after you’re hurt on the job, you should talk to an attorney. We can answer your questions and explain the legal options available to you.
Slip and fall at construction site
Some of the most complex work-related slip and fall accidents are slip and falls at a construction site. If you are a construction worker and you’re dealing with this particular type of case, it’s critical that you talk to an attorney right away.
Many different companies often work at the same construction site. If your injury was caused by someone working for another company, you may have other legal options. Specifically, you may be able to file a third-party lawsuit or a third-party injury claim against the company responsible for your injury. Such legal cases can be very complicated. An experienced attorney can advise you on what to do next.
Settlements for work slip and falls
A settlement is a one-time payment to settle your case, once and for all. Often, insurance companies make settlement offers soon after an accident.
Many times, accepting a settlement offer can be an effective way to resolve your case. But it’s important to carefully consider any settlement offer you receive before agreeing to accept it. That’s because once you accept such an offer, that’s it. You can’t go back and ask for more money in the future, even if your injury-related expenses increase more than you expected.
If you do receive a settlement offer, ask them to put the offer in writing. That way, you can review your settlement offer with your lawyer and decide whether or not you should accept it or ask for more money. The insurance company’s first offer is rarely the best they can do, especially after you have legal representation.
Demand the money you deserve. Contact us
The clock is running after your Las Vegas slip and fall accident. In Nevada, you only have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit. If miss the two-year deadline, you could miss out on your only opportunity for justice.
Know your rights. Contact our Las Vegas law firm and schedule a free consultation right now. We work on a contingency fee basis. That means you only have to pay if we secure a financial settlement or verdict for you. It’s that simple.
* Note that Lasso Injury Law does not handle workers' compensation cases. We represent injured workers with third-party claims. If your case involves both a workers' compensation and personal injury claim, we can refer you to one of the best workers' compensation attorneys in the field that we work with on a regular basis to handle that aspect of your case.
