If you were hurt in an accident at someone’s home, a business, or a store, one of your first actions after obtaining prompt medical care should be to report your accident to the property owner, manager, or business owner and complete a written accident report. Even if you do not believe that you were injured, you should report the accident. Some symptoms of traumatic brain injury, back and neck injuries, and other medical conditions could take days or longer to emerge. Filing an accident report documents your accident and will help avoid disputes with the insurance company as to whether the incident really occurred.
What Information Should Be Included in an Accident Report?
Retail stores and other businesses may have an accident report form for you to complete. However, a property owner and small business owner may not. In this situation, you may need to write your own report. Whichever type of report you use, you want to obtain a copy of it for your records. If necessary, take a picture of your completed form with your camera and obtain a better copy of it later.
Your accident report should contain basic information about what happened. Here are some important details that you want to make sure are mentioned:
- Date, time, and location of the accident
- Your contact information and the contact information for the business or property owner
- Names and contact information for any witnesses to your accident
- Details of how the accident occurred and the cause of it, such as spilled water, boxes in the aisle, or ice in the parking lot
- Brief mention of your injuries if you know that you were injured
You also want to take pictures or video of the accident scene, the cause of your accident, and lack of any warning signs.
The property or business owner may try to convince you that an accident report is not necessary and that he will do the right thing. However, you should insist on completing it. His position could change, especially after he talks to his insurance adjuster.
If you did not complete an accident report after your accident, you will be relieved to know that this is not a requirement to filing a claim for compensation. However, you will need the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney to hold the negligent business or property owner responsible for compensating you. Call our office today to schedule a free consultation to learn how we can help.
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