Outdoor injuries can happen anywhere: on a sidewalk, at a pool, on a bike path, at a campground, or outside a business. What you do next can affect your health, your recovery, and any potential legal claim.
Common Outdoor Injuries
- Slip and falls
- Dog bites
- Sports injuries
- Drowning injuries
- Heat-related illness
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- eBike or electric scooter accidents
- Boat accidents
- Camping injuries
- Drone injuries
Immediate Response
Step 1: Get Emergency Medical Care
The most important thing you can do after you or a family member is injured is to get medical care right away. Even if you don’t think you are hurt very badly, seeing a doctor can help you establish concrete evidence of your injury and check if anything is going on below the surface. Sometimes, adrenaline may make you feel like you’re not hurt when you actually are, so it’s a good idea to get checked out regardless.
Step 2: Take Photos and Collect Other Evidence
If possible, try to take photos of the injury right after it happens or as soon as you are able. This helps establish what the injury looks like before any medical care or healing takes place.
You should also try to take pictures of what injured you and get copies of any medical records from the hospital or doctor’s office. It may be helpful to write down the details of what happened as well so you can refer back to them as time goes on and your memory fades.
Step 3: Report the Injury to the Property Owner or Responsible Party
Try to report your injury to the owner of the property the same day that it happens. If you wait longer than this, the owner or their insurance company may try to suggest that your injury wasn’t serious enough to report. Same-day reporting also lets the property owner know that there’s a hazard so they can address it as quickly as possible to prevent another injury.
If the injury happened while traveling and you have travel insurance, you may also need to notify your insurer.
Long-Term Strategy
Continue to Keep Records of Ongoing Treatment
Continue keeping records of any and all medical treatment you receive for the injury, as well as receipts for medications, assistive devices, and other related costs. Doing so not only establishes the timeline of your injury and the care you get, but it also helps quantify your expenses.
Avoid Giving a Recorded Statement to Insurance Companies
The property owner’s insurance provider may try to contact you and request that you provide a recorded statement of what happened. While reporting an injury to your own insurance company may be necessary, you are not legally required to discuss what happened with anyone else. Chances are, the owner’s insurer is looking for ways to reduce their liability and avoid a payout. Even the truth may be twisted against you.
Get In Touch with a Qualified Injury Attorney
Finally, it’s in your best interests to reach out to an experienced Massachusetts outdoor injury lawyer for guidance. The earlier you involve an attorney, the earlier you can start protecting your rights and building a case against the potential at-fault party.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for an Outdoor Injury?
Liability often starts with the property owner or the party responsible for maintaining the area, but every case depends on who controlled the property, what caused the injury, and whether the hazard should have been fixed or warned about.
Injured Outside? Contact Mazow | McCullough, PC Today
Don’t wait after an outdoor injury or accident to get legal help. At Mazow | McCullough, PC, we can help you understand your rights and advocate for the best possible outcome. We’ve represented thousands of injury victims across Massachusetts and New Hampshire and have won millions in settlements and verdicts.
Contact us by sending a message, or call (978) 904-2844 or toll-free at (855) 546-2117.
*Past results are not a guarantee of future outcomes. Each case has unique circumstances.
