Slip and Fall Accident Attorney

Many times a slip can happen because of a slick surface due to water, oil, or other types of spills. Additionally, loose surfaces such as mats or rugs which are not anchored, uneven flooring, or flooring with variable traction can also cause slips. 

Tripping can lead to injuries that can cause pain, suffering and even death. According to the World Health Organization, after road traffic injuries, falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths worldwide. Clearly, slip and fall injuries are a serious matter.

Premises liability lawsuits result from a variety of unsafe or hazardous environments. Let’s identify a few of the more common examples which can easily lead to the injury and pain of a slip and fall incident:

• Wet floors, uneven flooring, a broken sidewalk, torn carpet, lifted or lowered steps that are not indicated
• Areas with insufficient lighting, including flickering lights
• Dangerous stairs, such as those that are broken, those with no tread, or perhaps with a missing handrail
• A moving walkway, also called an autowalk, elevators, escalators, or similar people-movers
• Cluttered walk areas, perhaps from boxes, products, or shelving directly in a person’s path
• Any unsafe condition which is not clearly indicated by a warning or hazard sign, or with a barrier to prevent your accident

At times, individuals who have experienced an injury because of a slip and fall incident, whether in a private or a public setting, do not take counsel from an attorney. Why? They conclude that their particular situation does not constitute an injury that qualifies them for compensation. If that is how you feel, take note of the following examples of some injuries which can meet the requirements for compensation:

• Broken, fractured, or cracked bones
• Bone or joint dislocation
• Soft tissue damage or sprains
• Pain and discomfort caused by a major burn
• Concussions
• Scrapes, lacerations, contusions, and lesions
• Ruptured or herniated disks
• Back, neck and spinal cord injuries

Having legal representation that understands slip and fall accidents will prevent you from missing important details that can help your case. An attorney will assist you in building your case to prove negligence on the part of the property owner.

A negligence claim can only be won if the injured person can prove the following four elements to show that the person responsible for the property acted negligently.

1. Duty of care — The property owner owed a reasonable duty of care to the injured person requiring them either to act or take precautions for their safety.
2. Breach of duty — The property owner breached that legal duty by acting or failing to act in a particular way.
3. Causation — The accident was directly caused by the actions, or inaction, of the property owner.
4. Damages — The accident resulted in an injury and losses to the person involved in the accident.

An attorney can aid you in establishing these four elements to prove negligence was a key factor in your injury. For example, an experienced attorney will know how to find out if there is any surveillance video of the incident. This is beneficial for two reasons.

First, a video of the fall can establish that you were not acting in a way so as to be responsible for the accident. Additionally, video evidence may verify that the conditions which lead to your fall had existed long enough that those responsible for the area should have remedied the dangerous situation or provided adequate warning.

Working with a lawyer to aid you with details such as these can help you feel less anxious about forgetting essential details that will benefit your case.

At times, a slip and fall accident occurs because of the injured party’s own carelessness or distraction. Yet, discerning the difference between a little bit of carelessness and negligent conditions that contributed to your accident is not always crystal clear. Attorneys that are experienced in identifying and differentiating these aspects of an accident may be able to help you build a strong case for your claim even if you think you may have been partially at fault.

In many slip and fall cases, there are general compensatory damages awarded both for monetary expenses that have been incurred as well as for non-monetary reparations.   

Monetary expenses.Damages can be awarded when monetary expenses are incurred by the injured person as a direct result of the accident. These would include such things as medical bills, attorney fees, and the cost of future medical services which are deemed necessary.

Not to be overlooked is possible compensation for bills connected to your household and other necessities of daily life. A key objective of a lawsuit is to help the injured person to be complete again. This requires recovering their financial situation to a point as if the accident had never occurred.

Even seemingly small items can be compensated for monetarily. When a slip and fall accident damages or ruins an item such as an expensive wristwatch, jewelry, or cellphone, the cost of repairing or replacing these items can also be awarded.

Non-monetary damages. These might include pain and suffering. Yet, not all pain is registered in a physical way. There may also be mental anxiety. Perhaps, even the loss of companionship because of the injury. These are also terrible and agonizing results that could exist because of your accident for which you deserve to be compensated.

Punitive damages. In rare cases, a property owner’s actions may be considered so heinous that additional punitive damages are awarded. Such damages are not meant to compensate the victim, but rather to punish the guilty party for malicious or intentional actions.