The City of Muncie has been improving road and sidewalk conditions for several years now. With a recent six-million-dollar project to build new sidewalks along one of Muncie’s busiest commercial areas, this will go down in the city’s history as one of the largest sidewalk projects ever undertaken.

Over the past few years, Muncie has started more projects that support an active lifestyle and encourage residents to use the various transportation options provided. The Cardinal Greenway, White River Greenway, and Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS) are examples of several transportation services Muncie residents now have at their disposal.

Walking to and from shops and the grocery store is great, until someone falls and gets injured. In this case, who’s responsible? For example, say you are walking down South Walnut downtown and you trip over a poorly maintained landscaped feature that’s surrounded with a brick border. Who’s responsible for your personal injury?

Proving Negligence

To have a case for a slip and fall accident, proving negligence is the key. If the fall happened on a public street, how the law is written determines if Muncie is liable or not. Most states say that the owner of the property that touches any sidewalk is responsible for maintaining the safe conditions of the sidewalk and will assume liability. However, it’s not always that simple. Taking into consideration the example, the landowner or property manager could have cleared the sidewalk and made the maintained landscape feature more visible, but the city could have failed to maintain the actual landscaped part. That would be negligence on the City of Muncie’s part.

One of the only ways to prove that the city knew about a public sidewalk needing repaired is by reporting the location to the city. If there is proof that the city knew about the hazardous Muncie sidewalk and had not repaired it, then damages against the City of Muncie could be sought.

What to Do After a Muncie Slip and Fall Accident

In some ways, what to do after a slip and fall accident is similar to a car accident. Gathering as much evidence as you can will likely help your case:

• Take Pictures of the Scene: To understand the context of the accident, taking pictures of the scene is one of the best things you can do. Setting the scene can also establish surroundings and the hazard that lead to the accident itself.
• Document What You Were Wearing: To try to avoid being liable, businesses and cities will try to put most of the blame on you. That may include trying to dismiss your claim by saying you were wearing improper shoes, for example, or a long skirt that could easily cause a person to trip. Recording what you were wearing can help prove that fall was caused by the hazard alone.
• Seek Medical Attention: If you are injured after a slip and fall, go to your doctor or the emergency room to receive medical treatment. Seeking necessary medical attention helps establish your case and also ensures your health is a priority.

Help from a Muncie Personal Injury Attorney

When the day started, getting injured while running errands or enjoying being outside was not on the to-do list. If you happen to find yourself injured from a fall and wish to recover damages, that is your right. Don’t go through the process alone; call the attorneys of Hensley Legal Group today or contact us online for a free consultation.