Proving A Fall On Your Business Property Was Not Your Fault
If you are being blamed for someone becoming injured on your property due to snow or ice, and you are positive the area where the person claims they had fallen was completely clear of any type of precipitation, you will want to fight the charges to keep from paying their medical bills. It is very important to call a personal injury attorney to represent your case as they will be seasoned in the steps you need to take to prove your innocence. Here are a few steps you can take in helping show a judge or jury that you were not negligent in any way that would cause the injury.
Find Witnesses
If your business had other customers on the premises at the time of the incident, try finding the names and phone numbers of these people to help prove you were not at fault. Each person you find who had seen what had happened can write a report about the incident to be used as evidence in court. If you had people inside the establishment, they still may have seen something before the incident had occurred, such as the person acting strangely when looking for an area to stage a fall. Check your credit card receipts to find customers who were in the building when the fall occurred.
Check Surveillance
If you have a surveillance system in place on your property, you may have some footage that would give a clue as to what the person who had fallen was doing the minutes leading up to their accident. You may find they were inside your establishment checking to see who was working so they could stage a fall when no one was looking. They may have a cup of water with them so they can pour it on the ground to make it appear like ice was to blame. See if any businesses near your establishment have any footage as well, as there may be a clue within the video that can be to your benefit.
Hire An Investigator
Have a private investigator follow the person who had fallen to see if they appear to be injured when they do not believe they are in the public eye. You may find out that they falsified their claims to the doctor, making it appear they were hurt when being checked, but acting normally when out and about in town. Have the private investigator take photograph and video evidence to help prove your case.
Get Documentation
If you have a snow removal or maintenance service work on your property, they will be able to give you documentation proving when they had been to your establishment to clear your walkways and parking lot of snow and ice. If service was done, and there was no report of inclement weather after the areas were cleared, the information they provide can help show that you were not the one to blame for the accident.