What Injuries Can I Get from a Sidewalk Accident?

As a pedestrian, you may be on your highest alert when you cross a major traffic intersection. However, you should practice an equal amount of caution when you are walking on sidewalks. There may be potholes, uneven surfaces, weather-related debris, foliage obstructions, or hazardous materials that litter the sidewalk and ultimately prompt you to slip, trip, and fall. With that being said, please follow along to find out the possible injuries you can get from slipping and falling on a sidewalk and how a proficient Panama City sidewalk accident attorney at Manuel & Thompson, PA can help you take the right steps afterwards.

What injuries can I get from slipping and falling on a sidewalk?

You may incur different types of injuries depending on how your body lands on a sidewalk after your slip, trip, and fall. These injuries may range from minor to critical. For example, if you instinctually try to catch yourself, you may fracture your wrists or hyperextend your ankles, knees, or back in the process. On the flip side, if everything happens so fast and you are unable to break your fall, you may hit your head on the concrete and unfortunately receive a concussion or traumatic brain injury. If you slam onto your back, you may have a herniated disc or spinal compression fracture. Hopefully, in a best case scenario, you can walk away with surface-level cuts and minor bruises.

What if I slip and fall on a public sidewalk in Florida?

Without a doubt, you may know that you want to file a slip and fall accident claim to hopefully recover from your incurred injuries and damages. However, if your accident took place on a public sidewalk, you may have to follow a slightly different procedure than you initially anticipated. That is, you should first report the incident to the relevant city or state authority, such as the Department of Public Works or the Department of Transportation. In this report, you should detail the exact date, time, and location of your slip and fall, along with other applicable circumstances surrounding the incident. You may even go as far as to supply photos of the hazardous sidewalk you encountered, the accident report conducted at the scene, and other tangible proof.

Then, before you sue this government entity, you must fill out and submit a Notice of Claim. As the name suggests, this essentially informs the entity that you intend to pursue legal action against them to collect financial compensation. In the state of Florida, the entity must respond to your notice within 180 days, during which you must wait before filing your lawsuit. However, if they respond by denying your claim or they fail to respond within this timeframe, then you may seize your opportunity to act.

At any rate, if you are ready to start your personal injury case or otherwise, now is a better time than ever to contact a talented Panama City slip & fall accident attorney. Manuel & Thompson, PA is here to help.