Personal injury cases in Pennsylvania, including cases involving injuries from a slip and fall, are subject to a strict statute of limitations. If you don’t file your case within that limited time frame, you won’t be able to recover the damages you are owed.
How Long Do I Have to File a Slip and Fall Lawsuit?
In the vast majority of situations, victims who are harmed due to negligent behavior have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. You should actually begin the process long before that cutoff date, however.
Your attorney will need to start gathering evidence for your case as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the less likely that crucial evidence will be found. Eyewitnesses to your slip and fall may no longer be available a year down the road, and critical documents or security videos may have been discarded or destroyed.
Seeking medical attention as quickly as possible after the accident and carefully following your doctor’s orders are also crucial when trying to recover damages for healthcare costs. Waiting an extended period before visiting a doctor or seeking physical therapy may interfere with your ability to recover compensation, because it gives the other side an opportunity to argue you aren’t as hurt as you claim.
For the best shot at achieving a full financial recovery, either through an insurance settlement or a personal injury lawsuit, you need to:
- Ask bystanders who saw the accident for their contact details
- Notify the property owner or on-duty manager about your fall
- Photograph anything at the scene related to the fall, like broken handrails, missing lights, slippery floors, etc.
- Visit a doctor after leaving the scene to check for possible internal injuries
- Seek help from a qualified Philadelphia slip and fall attorney before the statute of limitations has expired
Were You Hurt in a Fall Caused by a Negligent Property Owner?
Don’t give up on your shot at a fair recovery after an injury upends your life. If you were hurt in a slip and fall caused by another person’s negligence, you need an experienced attorney to help protect your legal rights. Call the Heslin Law Firm at 215-332-0300 to schedule a consultation, or use our online form.
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