Sample Demand Letter – Slip and Fall Claim Against Homeowner
If you slip and fall at a friend or neighbor’s property and become injured, you can file a personal injury claim to get compensation for your injuries. The owner of the property has homeowner’s insurance for these types of instances. The compensation you receive from this claim can help you cover medical expenses and any lost wages due to missed work.
First, you must write a demand letter and send it to the homeowner’s insurance company. This letter should outline the details of the incident and any related medical costs. The letter will be used as a point of reference throughout the claims process.
Be sure to be as detailed as possible when you provide an account of your injuries, and attach all relevant medical bills.
Sample Demand Letter
Use this sample demand letter as a guide while writing your own letter. It has all of the necessary information you should include.
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, and Zip Code]
[The Date]
[Name of the Claims Adjuster]
[Their Job Title]
[Address of the Insurance Company]
[City, State, and Zip Code of the Insurance Company]
Re: Your Insured, [Name of the Defendant]
Claimant: [Your Full Legal Name]
Claim Number: (Only include this number if a claim number has already been assigned to you, and you have already been contacted about the matter.)
Date of Loss: [Date of Accident or Incident in which the Incident Took Place]
Dear Mr./Mrs. [Name of Claims Adjuster],
In response to our previous correspondence, please accept this letter as a formal demand for compensation for the matter mentioned above.
I recently finished medical treatment for the injuries I sustained while at the residence of your insured, Mr. Frank Larson. Mr. Larson was having a backyard barbeque for the neighborhood on June 14, 2015. While I was walking down the back steps into the backyard, I tripped and fell on a loose board in the stairs. I fell down four stairs to the ground underneath, experiencing immediate pain in my back and my left wrist. Mr. Larson was apologetic and said he was aware of the loose step but hadn’t had time to fix it. He offered to walk me back to my home.
Mr. Larson was negligent in respect to the upkeep of his property. It was unsafe for guests to walk on his steps, yet he failed to deal with the matter in a timely manner. I checked the town’s building codes, which state that all outdoor stairs must be in safe and working order for parties and gatherings of over twenty people. I’ve attached the building code with this letter.
The next day after the injury, I went to my primary care doctor, Dr. Melinda Hines, who took an x-ray. She discovered that I had a small, minor fracture in my tailbone and a sprained wrist. Dr. Hines prescribed me a pain medication [name the medication] and referred me to an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jason Rutherford, who treated my injury the next day. Both doctors recommended that I stay home from my job at Fresnel Construction, LLC, where I do physical labor, so that I could recover from my injuries.
My medical bills are attached to this letter, and the exact costs are outlined below:
Dr. Melinda Hines: $466.00
X-Ray: $200.00
Dr. Jason Rutherford: $505.00
Prescription Pain Medication: $60.00
TOTAL: $1,231.00
Due to the negligence of your insured, Mr. Larson is liable for my injuries. I also lost two week’s worth of my wage at Fresnel Construction, LLC, totaling in $1,200.00. Because of these facts, I am seeking settlement in the amount of $4,000.00.
I hope to hear back from you in no more than 30 days from the time of this correspondence, and I appreciate a quick response.
[Your Signature]
[Your Name – printed]
By requesting an amount of compensation that is more than the initial costs of your medical expenses and lost wages, you are leaving room to negotiate a fair amount of compensation.
Get Help with Your Personal Injury Claim
By hiring a personal injury lawyer, you can get help with your personal injury claim to ensure a fair settlement and smooth process overall. A lawyer can help you write your demand letter, gather the necessary evidence for your claim, and more.
