How to handle a slip and fall injury? There are basic guidelines to assist you so that you can make a personal injury claim in almost every country in the globe. It helps to be aware of them so that should such a calamity occur in your life, you will know which directions to follow.

As soon as possible after your accident, see a qualified medical specialist or general practitioner. You will need as much information as you can gather with regards to your slip and fall. These will need to be medical and eye witness documentation. Keep originals wherever possible and only part with copies.

Keep a record of pain and suffering. Have x-rays taken, photographs of the place where you had your accident and who you deem to be the responsible party. For example it could be the municipality or county. It may be a landlord. It may fall into the roads ordinance category. Draw a sketch of the accident or get someone to draw it for you. Keep prescription records, ambulance, hospitalization or outpatient records and all fees relating to your accident.

Visit a personal injury lawyer or attorney who has preferably been referred to you who specializes in motor vehicle accident and other injury matters. What to expect on your first visit? You will need to make a statement or affidavit of the accident as the claimant and any witness reports given to your attorney. These documents will need to be personally signed.

From this documentation, your attorney will fill in a legal claim form which he will attach to your statement and forward it to your doctor to complete to sign and return for your claim. Documents also necessary would be an accident report, plan and key of the accident from the local police station who may have dealt with you and a report case number. Your lawyer will procure this for you if you have not been able to do so. In fact, he will request all documentation on your behalf wherever necessary.

Yet more documentation which may be necessary to take to your lawyer will be details of any previous personal injury claims you may have, medico legal reports where the claim is being made on behalf of a deceased person and death certificate. If the accident happened at work, you will have to take your certificate of service or conditions of employment with you.

You will require a letter from your employee (or if self-employed a schedule) stating your loss of earnings from date of accident and future earnings affected by your injury. If you are making the claim on behalf of a dependent, you will need their full birth certificate. Take along a marriage certificate in the case of claim for loss of maintenance or alimony by former spouses and agreement of the union (ante-nuptial, prenuptial, customary or common law). A death certificate where the breadwinner is deceased and proof of necessary funeral or cremation expenses plus inquest report, charge sheet or transcript of criminal proceedings in the case of the subsequent death of a breadwinner or where the personal injury was made as a direct or non-direct assault, hit and run or other type of accident.

You may be asking about attorney fees. Some legal establishments will work on a retainer basis and yet others will work on a contingency basis taking their fees when the final claim is paid out. In most countries, expect several months for the claim to be finalized. Sometimes a complicated claim will take a few years in which case you may possibly be awarded interim payments dependent on your personal injury.

Author Bio: Bergel, Magence LLP is a leading Toronto Personal injury Law Firm specializing in Slip & Fall Settlements, Motor Vehicle Settlements, Personal Injury Trials, Accident Benefits, Paraplegic and Brain Injury Claims.

Category: Legal
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