Mississippi Injury Lawyers / Common Mistakes During a Slip And Fall Case

Common Mistakes During a Slip And Fall Case

Watch this video about common mistakes during a slip and fall case in Mississippi. Then call the Brad Morris Law Firm for a free case review.

Question:

What common mistakes do people make in their slip and fall claim?

Answer:

Common Mistakes During a Slip And Fall CaseThere are several common mistakes that people make with regard to premises liability claims, such as slip and falls, that we see from time to time as potential clients approach us about representation. Let’s run through just a few of those in the context of premises liability claims, or what we often call slip and fall cases. A number of these common mistakes really could apply to all kinds of personal injury cases or just legal claims in general.

Looking through some of the big ones, probably the single biggest mistake that people make with regards to a legal claim is just waiting too long to bring that claim. The law has very strict deadlines for which a person can bring a personal injury claim. In the state of Mississippi, for instance, the general statute of limitations deadline, which is what we call these time limits for bringing a claim, is three years here. There are certain factors or circumstances where that statute of limitations can be significantly shorter than three years. For instance, if it involves a public entity like a school, a city or county government, or the state government, or any subdivisions of them, that could be reduced to one year in Mississippi.There are also instances, however, where that three-year period could potentially be expanded, such as when a person is incapacitated or when the claim involves minors, but there’s still very strict limits on the time period for bringing those claims. You cannot play around with the statute of limitations periods. If you wait too long and the statute passes, the claim is barred and you can’t re-bring it up, you can’t say I’m sorry, and the claim is just forever barred and you will never get compensated. The biggest threat and mistake that people make is waiting too long. It’s not just waiting too long until that statute passes, but it’s also waiting too long to consult an attorney. If you show up the day before the statute has run up, or in some cases even a week or month or two before, there isn’t always time for the attorney to do what they need to do to prepare that claim and really protect your rights. Don’t wait.Another big mistake that people make with all sorts of personal injury claims, but it certainly applies to premises liability or slip and fall claims as well, is not getting the medical treatment that they need. They’re focused on getting back to work or taking care of the family, or this or that, and they don’t put a priority on getting the medical treatment. Part of that is psychological. We all do it. We want to believe we’re going to be okay. We don’t like admitting that we’re injured or need help.Medical treatment is scary. If you’ve been injured, one, just from a health perspective, it is so important to get that injury treated. Do it as soon as you know you’re injured and follow the doctor’s and other medical professionals’ advice on continuing treatment, whether that be physical rehab or follow up appointments. Listen to them. They’re there to help you. Follow their advice, go to the follow-up appointments, and go to the other appointments that are designed to help you recover. For one, you’ll be healthier as a result of it, but, from a legal perspective, it also helps with the claim because it’s providing documentation.A big part, oftentimes, of what’s involved in proving and supporting a claim and getting maximum value for that claim is the documentation. It’s not just documentation that an injury happened, it’s also documentation of the treatment, of the diagnosis, of how that injury is impacting the person over the course of treatment and recovery. If the person is getting the medical help that they need and the treatment that medical professionals are recommending, it’s not only helping them physically, but it’s also providing a detailed record of all the different ways that this is intruding on their life, physically, mentally and in terms of daily living. That information becomes very helpful in terms of pursuing and proving the legal claim.Finally, a big mistake people make is trying in the beginning, or sometimes longer than the beginning, to pursue the claim themselves and trying to deal with the oppositional insurance company on their own. Not getting competent legal counsel on these claims is a big mistake, as is reaching out to legal counsel who doesn’t actually have experience working personal injury claims or litigating personal injury claims. Don’t try to do it yourself. Get competent legal counsel involved. Don’t just go get your divorce attorney or the attorney that does your land deeds. Reach out to an attorney who actually does personal injury litigation on a regular basis— ideally an attorney with a track record of success and experience on premises liability and slip and fall cases. Rest assured, the outcome is going to be better and you will be more aptly represented if you do that.Try to avoid these common mistakes if you have a premises liability or slip and fall case. Try to avoid these mistakes on any personal injury claim that you have. At the Brad Morris Law Firm, we are available through our website and through our phone, if you have further questions about your premises liability or slip and fall claim. Call us and we’ll try to answer your questions. We’ll do our very best to get you pointed in the right direction and get you the help you need.

Were you or a loved one injured from a slip and fall in Mississippi and have questions about the common mistakes during a slip and fall case? Contact the experienced Mississippi slip and fall injury attorney, Brad Morris, today for a free consultation and case evaluation.

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Out of Town Resources

These McAllen Personal Injury Attorneys have done a great job creating educational content. If you need help with a personal injury claim in McAllen, we recommend you take a look at their website.