What are Witnesses and Witness Statements, and Why Are They Important?

Witnesses’ statements can make or break your case if you get injured in an accident. They explain what happened and what they saw before, during, or after the accident. These statements also help the jury determine how you should be compensated for the damages.

In some instances, witnesses provide information from a medical or professional perspective. Whatever the angle of their testimony, witnesses are necessary in almost all accident cases. Therefore, if no one witnessed your slip-and-fall, you may be worried about how to prove your case. The best place to start would be to hire skilled Boston personal injury attorneys.

What Are the Different Kinds of Witnesses in Slip-and-Fall Accidents?

All legal accident cases have different kinds of witnesses, and the same applies to slip-and-fall accidents. In these claims, Boston slip-and-fall lawyers will help you find at least three kinds of witnesses as follows:

Eyewitnesses

Anyone who witnessed the incident first-hand is an eyewitness, and their testimony is vital in determining the cause of your accident and injuries. While they may not be able to give an expert account of the event or expert opinion on the same, they can describe what happened in detail. Their description offers a valuable voice that backs up your story.

If no one saw you fall, you may want to have other people who witnessed the conditions that led to your slip and fall, either before or after the accident. These can include first responders, depending on the circumstances of your case.

Expert Witnesses

Your case can call for the input of an expert witness depending on various factors. Your slip-and-fall lawyers in Boston will reach out to your medical care provider as the best bet to getting an expert account about your injuries. They can provide detailed statements or written evidence to support your claims on how you got injured, the extent of the injuries, and the impact.

Property Expert Witnessess

Property experts include builders and contractors who can offer various pieces of evidence proving how the accident happened and how it could have been prevented. Building inspectors can quickly look into the conditions that led to the injury, for example, damaged stairs or poorly lit areas that didn’t meet the building codes.

If your Boston slip-and-fall attorneys can’t get an eyewitness statement, they may be able to get a report from the property and medical experts to help you build a strong case. Additionally, there are steps you can take immediately after the accident to make proving your case easier.

What Can I Do After a Slip-and-Fall Accident to Help Prove My Claim?

While proving your case without witnesses can be complex, it’s not impossible. The steps you take immediately after the accident can significantly impact your case. Personal injury lawyers in Boston provide the following tips to help prove negligence in a slip-and-fall case with no witnesses:

Take Photos of the Scene

Depending on your condition, use the camera on your smartphone to take as many photos of the accident scene as possible. Consider doing this immediately while no one can tamper with the area or remove the conditions that caused your accident. The images depicting the state of the premises during the accident can dramatically help your case.

Be on the lookout for the following:

  • Store displays that probably caught your foot
  • Wet floors without warning signs
  • Cords that were lying on the walkway
  • A construction area without a warning sign

These can help determine the cause of the accident, and your attorney can be in a better position to prove negligence. Write the date and time of the accident on a notepad describing the accident scene if you’re in a place to do so.

Notify the Property Owner Immediately

Failure to notify the property or business owner of your slip-and-fall accident won’t bar you from filing a claim. However, the jury and insurance adjusters may raise questions about the credibility of your claim if you didn’t report and there were no eyewitnesses.

If the extent of the injury were severe, higher management would be involved in demanding an emergency response. So, if you can stand and walk after the fall, find the owner or manager and inform them. Notifying the city or town authorities may also go a long way in supporting your claim.

Seek Medical Attention

If you wish to pursue a compensation claim against a negligent property owner after a slip-and-fall accident, visit a doctor immediately, no matter how minor the injuries are. If you don’t seek medical attention, the jury and insurance adjuster may assume that you didn’t fall or get hurt anyway.

Hire an Attorney

After doing all the above following a slip-and-fall accident, ensure you call a personal injury lawyer in Boston. They can provide the legal counsel and representation you need in fighting for the compensation you deserve. Besides, an experienced slip and fall lawyer can help you collect evidence to prove that the accident happened as you said and to show the property owner’s negligence.

A Compassionate Personal Injury Attorney Helping You Prove Your Slip-and-Fall Case

The consequences of a slip-and-fall accident can be devastating and lead to life-long injuries. Getting compensation can be challenging if there are no eyewitnesses, but still possible. Skilled personal injury attorneys in Boston can walk with you and help you collect evidence to support your compensation claim.

Our lawyers have over 55 years of experience in personal injury cases and can help you fight for a fair settlement for the damages. We bring skilled and knowledgeable experts, specialists, and investigators to evaluate the circumstances surrounding the incident to help maximize your claim. Contact us today to schedule a FREE case assessment.