Steps to Take Immediately After Being Injured at the Museum

Injuries can occur anywhere, including places devoted to art, history, and family fun. Museums exist for a safe experience, but slippery or wet floors, poor sight lines, or even crowds around exhibits can create chances for injuries. Knowing what to do after being injured at the museum can affect your recovery.

Seek Medical Assistance

If the situation is serious, call 911 or have someone else call for you. Most museums have staff trained in basic first aid, and you should not be ashamed to ask them for help.

Even for something that initially might seem less than serious, get medical assistance or go to the hospital to check for possible injuries. Some injuries may not display all of their symptoms right away—like concussions or compound sprains. Medical records will also be helpful later if you plan to file a claim.

Either way, ask to have the injury documented in an official incident report. Once you know you’re safe, make sure staff properly document the incident so they are aware of the situation. Get a copy of this report for your own records. This report will be essential if you need to demonstrate proof of what occurred down the road.

What Evidence Should You Gather?

Evidence can support your account of the events. Your first step should be documenting the space where the injury occurred. This may include wet flooring, broken railings, poor lighting, or cluttered walkways.

Next, document your injuries. If witnesses observed the slippery surface and you took the fall, ask them for their contact information. If the museum denies your claim down the road, and witness statements could help to prove your case.

Know Your Rights

Museums, like most property owners, must keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition. If they do not, they may be liable for injuries occurring on the property under premises liability laws.

Slips and falls are particularly common. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, slips and falls account for more than 8 million hospital visits per year in the U.S. and are among the leading causes of injury in public spaces.

Knowing that the law affords protection for visitors enables them to make informed decisions after an accident.

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you were severely injured reach out to a personal injury lawyer. If negligent behavior was involved, that information will ultimately help provide compensation for your injuries from the accident.

Lawyers can also help handle any communications with the insurance company or museum. Insurance providers are known to lowball clients, and a lawyer can stop you from falling for their tricks. People often avoid hiring a lawyer because of the high costs that are associated with them, however, there are alternate fee arrangements that can help.

One option is a contingency fee arrangement, where you don’t have to pay the lawyer unless they win the case for you. Having a good lawyer on your side can ease a lot of stress, and ensure your rights are protected. So be sure to hire one if you find yourself in such a situation.

Key Takeaways

• Seek medical attention right away, regardless of the severity of the injury.
• Report the incident to museum staff and ask for a copy of the incident report.
• Document evidence, including photos, contact details of witnesses, etc.
• Museums must keep the surrounding conditions safe under premises liability rules.
• Contact a lawyer if the injury is serious, and particularly if there are reasons to believe in some level of negligence.