• Medical bills
• Rehabilitation expenses
• Prescription drug costs
• Time missed from work
• Affect on ability to earn an income
• Pain and suffering

Only an experienced attorney can tell you exactly what damages you are eligible to seek compensation for after thoroughly evaluating your case. A thorough evaluation includes an investigation of the accident scene, collection of evidence, tracking down witnesses and securing expert testimony as to the dangerous conditions present at the accident scene.

Keep in mind that just because you fall on someone else’s property does not mean that you can automatically seek to recover damages for your injury; you must be able to prove that a property owner was aware of a hazardous surface condition, had time to address the problem and did not take the appropriate action to correct the problem or properly warn people of the hazardous area. This is not always easy to prove; hiring an experienced attorney can greatly increase your chances of receiving the money you need to recover from a slip and fall accident.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a slip or trip and fall accident, it’s important to take proactive measures to ensure your chances of a successful case. Below are some actions you may want to take after being involved in a slip and fall accident:

Seek Medical Attention

It is a good idea to see a medical doctor soon after a slip and fall accident so that you can be made aware of the extent of your injuries and get the care you need. A doctor can not only diagnose and treat your injury, but make you aware of how your injury may affect your life.

Take Pictures

It is important to take pictures of the accident scene as soon as possible after the accident. Pictures should be taken from a variety of angles and distances to properly document the accident scene. Failure to take pictures promptly after the accident can make it difficult to prove that hazardous conditions ever existed as property owners can clean up or fix the problem before you get a chance to document the problem.

Get Witness Contact Information

If anyone witnessed your slip and fall accident, it is important to write down their name, address and phone number so that you can contact them in the future if such testimony is necessary for proving a property owner’s fault.

Report the Accident

If your accident occurred at a retail store or place of business, be sure to alert the manager of your accident before you leave the store. It is important to have documentation of your accident immediately after it happens.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a slip or trip and fall accident, be sure to contact an experienced slip and fall attorney for the advice and legal representation you need to pursue a successful case against a negligent property owner.

Basic First Aid Kit

Having a basic first aid kit will help you be ready for minor wounds and injuries you may encounter in an accident or other emergency situation. Make sure your first aid kit is stocked with small and large bandages, pain relievers, antibiotic ointment, gauze, tweezers and scissors.

Non-Perishable High Energy Foods

If a car accident or emergency has you stranded, it’s important that you have high energy foods to keep your body fueled. Since these items will likely remain in your car for a long time, it is important to stock non-perishable foods like granola bars, raisins, peanut butter, MREs (meals ready to eat), etc.

Water

Water is important for several reasons: it can be used to help clean wounds, help keep you hydrated, help cool down an overheated car. Keep in mind that if you are stranded somewhere for a couple days, you will need water to survive more than food. Look for water packets with a long shelf life (at least 5 years) as these are easy to store and don’t take up much room.

Flashlight/Light Sticks

If you are stranded at night, need to change a flat tire in the evening or try to flag someone down, a flashlight and light sticks can help.  Light sticks are great because they can last up to 12 hours, provide sufficient light to attract attention and light your path. Remember to store batteries for your flashlight separate from your flashlight since they can corrode if left in the battery compartment.

Disposable Camera

A disposable camera is a must have if you are in a car accident. If you have to go to court to seek damages from another person, you need to know that photos from a digital camera may be contested easier than photos captured on film since digital photos are easier to manipulate. For information on what kind of pictures to take after an accident, see How to Preserve Evidence after a Car Accident.

Pocket Knife

Having a pocket knife with multiple tools like a screwdriver, bottle opener, blade and pliers is always a good idea. You never know how you may need the assistance of one of these tools after going through a car accident or emergency situation.  For example, a pocket knife should enable you to cut through any seatbelts that won’t release.

Cell-Phone Charger

Being able to communicate with emergency personnel and family is important after being involved in a car accident or other emergency situation. Since you can’t predict where your car will break down or where you will be involved in an accident, it is important to have access to a mobile communication device if a landline phone is not an option.  Making sure your phone works when you need it is essential. For this reason, it is important to keep a cell-phone charger in your glove box for emergency situations.

Tools

It is important to have access to the tools you need if your car breaks down on the road. Screwdrivers, wrenches, and pliers are all things you should consider keeping in your car (the spare tire well is a good place to store these) so that you are prepared for common roadside mishaps, like flat tires.

Poncho/Raingear

Having a poncho or raingear handy will help you be prepared for roadway emergencies that occur in inclement weather.

Road flares/Reflective Triangles

It is important to be able to warn on-coming traffic of an accident or roadway emergency so that they can drive with due caution and not cause additional accidents. Road flares should only be used as warning signals and not for light.

Matches

Depending on where your car breaks down or where your accident happens, it is important to be able to create a fire if you are going to be stranded overnight. Keeping waterproof matches as part of your car emergency kit is always a good idea.

Battery-Powered Radio

If you are going to be stranded for several days, having access to information about the weather, current events and emergency information is essential. Since your car is generally always within close range of you, it is a good place to store a battery-powered radio so that you are prepared no matter what the emergency is.

Winter Gear

If you live in a state where cold winters are the norm, it is important to include a blanket, hats and gloves in your emergency kit. The ability to stay warm when you are stranded or in an accident may be paramount to your survival.

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After reading through this list, you may wonder how you can possibly store all of these items in your car.  When you are putting together your emergency kit, it is important to think creatively about how to store each item. Since most of these items are things you will rarely need, it is not important that they be easily accessible from the driver’s seat. Tools, water supply, radios, road flares and non-perishable foods can all easily be stored in your spare tire well. Smaller items, like matches, pocket knives, flashlights, first aid kit and disposable cameras can be stored in your glove compartment or under seats. When storing emergency supplies under your seats, be sure to secure them with a bungee cord so that they stay in place while your vehicle is in motion.

While some people prefer to gather the supplies to make their own emergency car kit, prepackaged emergency kits are available from a variety of retailers. These kits often include most of these items in a compact carrying case that make it easy to store everything in your vehicle.

Making sure your tires are in tip-top condition can not only increase the fuel economy of your vehicle, but help you avoid breakdowns and serious accidents. Every owner of a motor vehicle should spend a little time each month inspecting the tires on their car, truck or motorcycle. A monthly inspection should include things like:

• Checking tire pressure. You can find the correct air pressure for your tires by looking at the sticker that is commonly located on the door post of the driver’s side door on many vehicles or looking in your owner’s manual. The air pressure located directly on your tires is the maximum air pressure that the tire can hold and is not necessarily the best air pressure to use for maximum performance with your vehicle. To get an accurate tire pressure reading, it is important to check your tires when they are cold or your vehicle has been parked for at least three hours. Keep in mind that you can’t always tell if a tire is underinflated with a visual inspection; be sure to use a tire pressure gauge.

• Checking tires for wear and cracks. The depth of tread on each of your tires is important for vehicle stability, especially on wet or icy roads. Modern tires have treadwear indicators built into them to alert vehicle owners when their tread is too low (1/16 of an inch) and tires need to be replaced. These indicators are located in the grooves of a tire’s treads; when the indicators appear even with the outside of the tread, it’s time to get new tires. You can also check your tire’s tread with a Lincoln penny. To do so, place the penny (with Lincoln’s head being inserted first) within your tire’s groove; if you can see the top of Lincoln’s head (or the words “In God We Trust”) the treads on your tire are dangerously low and you need to replace your tires. Cracks can be indicative of a tire’s age and wear. If you notice cracks on your tires, be sure to have them inspected by a mechanic.

• Making sure all of your tire valves have caps. Valve caps help a tire maintain proper inflation. They also keep out moisture and dirt particles that can interfere with the proper functioning of the air valve and cause air loss.

If you have been injured in an accident because your tires failed, you may be able to hold the tire manufacturer responsible for a defective product (see Products Liability). Only an experienced attorney can tell you if you have a right to seek compensation for an accident cause by tire failure.

While the criteria for filing a wrongful death claim vary from state to state, in general the following conditions must apply to take legal action on behalf of a loved one:

• Victim would have been legally entitled to seek a recovery of damages for the accident had he or she survived

• The decedent left behind surviving dependents or beneficiaries

• Surviving family endured financial hardship as a result of their loved one’s death

If you suspect your loved one died as a result of another person’s negligence or wrongdoing, it is important to contact an experienced wrongful death attorney. A wrongful death attorney should be familiar with the laws in your state be able to tell you if you have a claim worth pursuing or not.

Surviving family members of a person killed in a wrongful death accident may be entitled to seek damages for things like:

• Loss of inheritance

• Pain and suffering

• Medical costs associated with the accident that caused the wrongful death

• Funeral expenses

• Loss of benefits (e.g., pension, medical insurance, etc.)

• Loss of future earnings of the decedent

• Loss of consortium

These damages are meant to compensate the surviving family members for the financial hardship caused as a result of their loss. Punitive damages may be sought in some states to punish the person or party responsible for a loved one’s death; these damages go above and beyond those meant to compensate surviving family members for the financial hardship caused by the death of a loved one.

The damages surviving family members may be eligible for vary by jurisdiction. For this reason, it is a good idea to consult an experienced wrongful death attorney in your state to learn what damages you may be eligible to seek on behalf of your loved one. The time for filing a wrongful death lawsuit is limited; so, contacting a wrongful death attorney as soon as possible is important to learn what damages you may be entitled to recover under the law.