When a person trips, slips, or falls on another person’s or entity’s property, and subsequently suffers harm or injury, they become a slip and fall victim. These types of lawsuits are also referred to as “premise liability claims” or “slip and fall claims.” The principle objective for premise liability lawsuits is to hold property owners accountable for an accident that took place on their “premises”.
These properties can include residential, commercial, government, municipal, and various other public or privately owned properties. So long as the accident didn’t occur on their own property, a slip and fall victim has a legal right to pursue compensation for their injuries by filing a premise liability claim through the property owner’s insurance company.
Common Causes and Injuries
There are many reasons why slip and fall accidents take place. Torn carpeting, unleveled flooring, crumbling pavements, wet floors, poor lighting, narrow staircases, building code violations and neglected spills are just some examples of common causes. Other variables may include rain, snow, ice, potholes, and fog. These typical hazards are capable of causing a wide range of severe injuries, such as muscle tears, dislocations, broken bones, orthopedic injuries, concussions, head injuries, brain damage, and much more.
Proving a Claim
Proving a slip fall claim can be complicated. There are various factors that influence a case, and all cases are different. Although it depends on a number of variables, proving such a claim is largely reliant on whether or not the property owner took care to prevent the accident, as well as, whether or not the claimant possibly acted carelessly and helped to cause their own injuries.
In order to have a chance at settling a lawsuit or claim, a slip and fall victim must prove that their accident happened as a result of a dangerous condition that the property owner was aware or should have been aware of or neglected to resolve. For instance, if it were raining outside and a person slips on the sidewalk outside of a coffee shop, they may not have a strong case. However, if it were raining and the premises owner neglected to wipe their floors and post warning signs just inside the front entrance, a victim might have a better chance at being successful with their claim.
Hire a Licensed Personal Injury Attorney
A slip, trip, and fall victim should retain professional legal counsel to file a strong and impactful personal injury claim against an opposing party. Personal injury attorneys have the knowledge and resources to build an aggressive and articulate case on a client’s behalf.
With their help, victims can recover the compensation they deserve for their incurred losses and damages, such as hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages, prolonged rehabilitation, pain, suffering, and more. Most law firms will offer a no-obligation accident assessment consultations for first-time appointments, while many others may also allow clients to forgo upfront lawyer fees unless they settle their claim.
