We welcome our newest partner, retired NYPD detective, John Brown, to the BNI team. After 23 years on the job, John decided to exercise his retirement option and shift to the civilian equivalent of his police force investigative position. We have been anticipating John’s arrival for several years, and in doing so, he has become very familiar with our SOPs. Once again, welcome aboard, John!
On to this week’s Bulletin.
It’s time to ”winterize” our firms/companies. Slip/Trip and falls occur year-round, but snow and ice conditions up the number of these case types. We review our intake surveys in the fall and mid-winter (as a reminder) and ensure that they’ve been updated.
(Obviously, when we receive this type of assignment, we are provided the client’s name, the date, time and location of accident. We then go on to a more formal intake survey. Below is primary information required in a slip/trip and fall event.)
1. CLIENT PEDIGREE (to include name, address, phone #, DOB, SSN,employment/scholastic and licensed driver info and emergency contacts)
2. WEATHER CONDITIONS
3. LIGHTING CONDITIONS
4. SURFACE DESCRIPTION (sidewalk, hallway, stairs…)
5. DEBRIS/DISREPAIR/CONSTRUCTION PRESENT
6. DESCRIPTION OF SURFACE (concrete, torn matting, tile…)
7. PRESENCE OF ANY WARNING SIGNS (e.g. wet floor cones, signs…)
8. DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF PARTICIPANTS (northbound, descending steps…)
9. DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT (detailed, including, for exterior falls in snow and ice, how long the condition had existed)
10. ALCOHOL/DRUG INVOLVEMENT
11. WHERE WAS THE CLIENT GOING?
12. RATE OF WALK (normal gait, walking briskly… )
13. TYPE OF SHOES WORN
14. CONDITION OF SHOES (new, good, worn.. )
15. DOES THE CLIENT STILL HAVE THE SHOES?
16. OBSERVABLE INJURIES SUSTAINED (detailed)
17. MEDICAL ATTENTION RECEIVED AT SCENE
18. EMERGENCY/OFFICIAL VEHICLE AND PERSONNEL RESPONSE
19. STATEMENT(S) MADE AT SCENE
20. ADDITIONAL WITNESSES
21. DOES THE CLIENT KNOW OF ANY OTHER SIMILAR PRIOR INCIDENTS AT SAID LOCATION?
22. HAD THE CLIENT COMPLAINED TO MANAGEMENT OF EXISTING RELATED CONDITIONS?
23. DOES THE CLIENT KNOW OF ANYONE ELSE WHO MAY HAVE MADE SIMILAR PRIOR COMPLAINTS TO MANAGEMENT?
24. COPY OF CLIENT’S LEASE.
25. MANAGEMENT INFORMATION, IF KNOWN.
26. MUNICIPALITY INVOLVED?
Additional related searches you may opt to have your investigator conduct: real property search, weather check and prior incidents (lawsuits filed for similar situation v. the same property owner. Rarely, in these cases, do our clients ask us to conduct a financial background check on their clients (to determine if there are active liens, judgments, bankruptcies.. .), preferring to question their own clients on this matter. We do however have that capability and generally, that type of search, pending the case level, should include joint (spouse) information.
BNI Operatives: : Street smart; web savvy.
Filed under: General Information | Tagged: cones, ice, icy, lawyer, liquid, sidewalk, slip and fall, snow, staircase, surface, trip and fall, warning sign, weather, wet | Leave a Comment »
