Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere, but that doesn't mean they should be taken any less seriously. These accidents can cause terrible consequences for the victims, especially children or older adults. Therefore, all property owners must ensure their facilities are entirely safe for anyone who visits them. Otherwise, they must compensate the victim for the injuries resulting from the accident.
All slip and fall victims should hire New Albany personal injury lawyers to be fairly compensated for their injuries. Moreover, they can get a free consultation with The Keating Firm LTD's slip and fall lawyers if they call the number at the end of this page.
What Is a Slip and Fall Injury?
Slip and fall injuries are extremely common in America. In fact, they're the most common cause of ER visits. However, they don't necessarily have to mean a literal "slip and fall," as this is simply a legal term that's used to refer to all injuries caused by a slip or something similar.
Those who decide to take legal action due to a slip and fall injury tend to do it against the property owner if they manage to prove a correlation between their negligence and the accident. Some of the most common causes of slip and fall serious injuries are lack of maintenance, improper lighting, and slippery floors.
What Kind of Slip and Fall Accidents Are There?
Several things can cause slip and fall accidents, and some of these hazards may increase or decrease depending on the season or environmental circumstances surrounding the property. Some of the most common causes are the following.
Accumulated ice and snow on walkways, parking lots, and other areas of the property. The owners must provide constant maintenance to their premises to eliminate the snow and prevent causing a serious injury or even a wrongful death.
Inadequate lighting in stairways, parking lots, and similar areas can cause visitors to slip and fall due to not being able to see irregularities on the floor.
Moreover, a lack or improper maintenance of the property's inside can also cause slip and fall accidents. Some of the main hazards that can be found are slippery floors and stairs, broken steps, missing handrails, hanging electrical cords, and general debris.
Who's Liable for a Slip and Fall Accident?
Personal injury cases are pretty tricky when it is time to determine liability. This is because, in some cases, the blame can be shared among all the involved parties, including the victim. Therefore, the victim must prove they were at least 49% or less at fault for the accident to receive compensation. This can be good because victims can still get compensated even if they were partly at fault, but it can also mean they get less money than expected.
In order to prove this, the personal injury lawyer must do a thorough investigation and collect as much evidence as possible. However, judges and juries usually understand that property owners are responsible for providing a safe space for anyone who visits their property.
Nonetheless, each case is different, and sometimes the property owner isn't aware of the dangers of their property. In those cases, they can't be held liable for the accident. However, the judge may need to determine whether they should have known about the hazardous condition or not, which can prove their negligence.
When to Take Legal Action
It is crucial to seek compensation as soon as possible after an injury. In cases like this, time is one of the most important things to consider if the victim is looking to get financially compensated. They have up to six years to file a personal injury claim. Still, premises liability cases tend to take a lot of time, so it is essential to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible so they can start working on the case. Moreover, due to how blurry the lines are between both parties' liability, these cases tend to go to court more often than other cases.
In addition, the victim can use this time to build a strong case with their personal injury attorney. Some of the things that need to be considered are all the possible financial losses, such as medical costs, reduced earning capacity, and additional costs in case of disability.
What to Do After Suffering a Slip and Fall Accident
Get Medical Attention
The first thing that needs to be done is to find medical attention for the victim. This step is crucial because not all injuries appear right after an accident, and the victim is going to need a professional evaluation to use as evidence for their case.
Report the Slip and Fall
Then, they must report the accident to whoever is in charge of the establishment where it happened. All victims must get a written report with as many details as possible before leaving the property, or it may be pretty difficult to get one after some time has passed.
Document Details
Another crucial step of the process is to document as many details as possible. Victims can take pictures, videos, and any other activity to gather information to build the case and help their personal injury lawyers.
Moreover, if possible, they should also get the contact information of all accident witnesses in case they need someone to testify in court. In addition, they should keep all the clothes they wore during the accident somewhere safe and not use them again.
Do Not Give a Statement
Most property owners already have some experience with slip and fall claims, so they're likely to immediately try to settle the case and get the victim to make a statement. However, the victim shouldn't say anything before talking to a lawyer, and they should refrain from posting anything that could weaken the case on social media.
Moreover, they should politely decline all settlements and offers made by the other party without following a legal process. They should only be focused on registering the events, not talking about them.
Get Qualified Personal Injury Lawyers
Anyone who suffered a serious injury due to a slip and fall accident is entitled to file a claim to the property owner to get fair compensation for it. In order to do that, they can contact a law firm that can guide them through the whole process and make sure they get the best possible outcome.
Moreover, the defendants in personal injury cases tend to have top-notch lawyers on their sides, making it difficult if the victim decides to face them on their own. In the worst-case scenario, the victim may even get countersued.
Navigating the Complex Slip and Fall Injuries' Paperwork
Lawsuits and personal injury claims involve much confusing paperwork, but Columbus slip and fall attorneys know how to handle all of these processes correctly. They may handle all difficult aspects of the claim, such as gathering information and negotiating with the other party. Moreover, they know better than anyone how much money their client should get, and they aren't going to get intimidated into accepting a lower amount.
How an Attorney Can Help
Hiring slip and fall lawyers is highly beneficial for the victim, especially if they've never gone through a legal process before. However, some people don't know all the things that slip and fall lawyers can do for them. Some of the best benefits are the following.
Slip and fall lawyers may provide legal advice and explain all the victim's options so they can choose the best possible outcome for their case.
They can also help with the trickiest part of the claim, which is determining the negligent party. This is done by gathering evidence and doing extensive research, for which they may receive help from a professional investigator.
Slip and fall lawyers also know which damages to consider when calculating the settlement, and they prevent their clients from accepting any less than that.
They are also experts in negotiating, and they know what to say to convince the other party to accept their settlement. Moreover, if needed, they know how to manage themselves in court and fight for their client's justice.
In regards to court management, not having a lawyer can mean terrible things for the victims. Slip and fall lawyers know all the technicalities needed to create a winning defense, and they can effortlessly deliver it in court.
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A slip and fall accident can cause terrible consequences for the victims, such as traumatic brain injuries, disability, and even wrongful death. Therefore, the best thing to do is hire a personal injury lawyer who can file a slip and fall claim to help their clients win their slip and fall case.
The Keating Firm LTD has the best personal injury lawyers who are extremely glad to help with serious personal injury cases and help their clients get the justice they deserve. They offer a free consultation to anyone who needs it. All that clients have to do is give them a call.