How Long Do You Have to Go to the Doctor After a Slip and Fall?

There is no requirement for how soon you should go to the doctor following a slip and fall accident.

You should go to the doctor immediately after a slip and fall accident.

You should seek medical attention right away. Seeking medical attention either at the local emergency room or through an appointment with your doctor is very beneficial towards a potential case.

There are two reasons why it is important to seek medical attention right away:

Your Health

First, it is important to see a medical professional to ensure you have not suffered from any injuries that you are not aware of, especially if you hit your head during the fall. Something as simple as a headache may be an indication of a serious injury like a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

To Document Your Injuries

The longer you wait to see a medical professional after the accident, the more difficult it may be to prove that your injuries were the result of your slip and fall accident. The defense may also claim that your injuries were not serious. By going to the doctor right away, you can document the extent of your injuries.

If you go to the doctor after a slip and fall, it will be easier to prove your injuries because you saw a medical professional immediately after the accident.

A medical professional will help solidify your claim relating to your injuries were a direct result of the fall.

Types of Injuries That Occur After a Slip and Fall Accident

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), falls are sending more Canadians to the hospital than ever before. Data shows that of the two million emergency department (ED) visits in 2017, falls accounted for 653,808 of them.

These falls cause a variety of injuries, including:

Hip fractures: This type of injury was the most common, according to CIHI. This injury may occur in a number of different places, although it usually involves a fracture in the top part of the thigh bone. While a hip fracture may be serious for people at any age, it is particularly dangerous among older adults, who may experience complications like pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and bedsores.
Broken ankles: Another injury caused by a slip and fall, this usually forces the victim to alter their lifestyle, as placing any weight on the ankle is difficult or impossible. In some rare cases, the bone may break through the skin, causing complications like infection or bleeding.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): Brain injury statistics show that TBIs may occur when a blow to the head disrupts the brain’s normal function. In some cases, brain injuries are mild, with only a headache as the primary symptom. In other cases, the victim may experience slurred speech or profound confusion.
Spinal cord injuries: Because the spinal cord is responsible for delivering messages to the body, an injury to the spinal cord may disrupt the body’s ability to send and receive messages, causing a lack of feeling or mobility. Though some people may live long and full lives after this type of injury, they may require wheelchairs, walkers, and other assistive devices.
Broken arms: If someone tries to catch themselves with their hand after slipping and falling, they may break an arm. This type of injury usually heals with no complications, although in rare cases, the victim may have nerve damage, arthritis, or—in cases where the person is a young child—uneven bone growth.
Knee injuries: If you twist your knee or fall directly on the kneecap during a slip and fall accident, you may seriously injure your knee. Because the knee is highly complex, and the type of knee injury may vary, there are a variety of different treatments that the doctor may use. This type of injury often requires surgery.

Establishing Negligence in a Slip and Fall Accident Claim

In order to show negligence in a slip and fall accident claim, you must establish that another party—often the property owner—behaved negligently. In order to do that, five elements must be present:

Duty of care
Breach of duty
Connection between the defendant’s behavior and the resulting harm
Damages incurred because of the defendant’s behavior
The harm was foreseeable

You have as much time as you need to go to a doctor after a slip and fall accident. However, it is advised that you go to a medical professional immediately after your injury-causing accident. Often these cases depend on whether the defendant exercised reasonable care. You—or your lawyer—must show that the defendant should have foreseen the possibility of a slip and fall, and a reasonable person would have recognized the likelihood and taken steps to correct it.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident or died because of complications from their injuries, you are not alone. You have the right to hold the negligent party responsible for any behavior that caused your slip and fall accident. For a free initial consultation, contact Preszler Injury Lawyers at 1-800-JUSTICE.