Slip and fall accidents in a retail setting can lead to significant injuries. After a person falls, the manager of the retail store might ask the person to sign an accident report before they head to the hospital or might contact them as soon as possible after they receive medical assistance and ask them to sign a report. Before signing anything, it’s a good idea for the person to speak with an injury lawyer in Fort Collins.
Is the Accident Report Just an Accident Report? What Does It Say?
What the manager calls an accident report might just be an accident report, but it could also include fine print that means the signor holds the retailer free from any liability. This could make it more difficult for the person to obtain compensation after an accident if they are able to receive any at all.
Even if it is just an accident report with no release of liability, what is written in the accident report could mean the person cannot collect compensation. For instance, the accident report might say the incident was caused by the injured person’s actions, not the negligence of the retailer, which will be used to show the retailer did not cause the accident and does not owe the person compensation.
Why Does Management Push for a Signature Right After the Incident?
Managers will often push for a signature on accident reports or a release of liability form right after the accident in the hopes the injured person will simply sign it without reading it. This way, they have the chance to get the person to say the accident was not the fault of the retailer and, therefore, the retailer doesn’t owe any money even if they did actually cause the accident.
Those who are injured in a slip and fall accident should never sign anything for the retailer until they have spoken with an injury lawyer in Fort Collins. While the retailer might be honest in their report of the accident and may not include fine print to release their liability, it’s just as likely they’ll try to get a quick signature on something that relieves them of liability in an accident. Instead, the person should speak with a lawyer from Burton & Burton right away.