Accidents involving trips, falls, and slips are typically classified as “premises liability” cases. Clearing common areas and walkways requires vigilance on the part of landlords, store owners, and property owners. If property and business owners neglect to remove dangerous conditions from their properties or fail to warn customers and pedestrians about these conditions, slip and fall injuries may occur.
Customers, tenants, and other pedestrians may experience dangerous slips and falls as a result of careless upkeep and/or inspection of one’s property. Sidewalks, driveways, walkways, and parking lots are common pedestrian areas that need to be inspected and treated during the winter. In slip and fall incidents, people may suffer major injuries if those areas are not properly maintained.
Litigating slip and fall cases can be challenging. It’s not always easy to determine who is at fault, and the owner of the property may try to refute your claim by saying that your incompetence or negligence led to your fall.
Every personal injury case that Louis Berk Law handles benefits from the vast litigation experience of our committed premises liability lawyer. While we put together a strong demand package for negotiation, we remain committed to making sure you receive the best possible medical care and make-up for any lost income. If needed, we are prepared to go to trial to get you the money you are legally entitled to. Allow our Injury Attorney in Orlando to give you the knowledgeable legal assistance you need to get through these trying times.
Common Injuries in Slip and Fall Accidents
Victims of slip and fall accidents often suffer from the following injuries:
• Sprains and strains.
• Bruises and contusions.
• Abrasions and lacerations.
• Bone breaks or fractures.
• Torn tendons and/or ligaments.
• Spinal disc herniation.
Particularly vulnerable body parts like the head, foot, ankle, wrist, elbow, and hip are frequently the site of these injuries. However, the damages incurred by an injured victim usually go beyond any bodily wounds received during the fall-down event. The high cost of medical care, time away from work for recovery, and lost income often have a severe financial impact on fall victims. These additional financial strains might have an impact on the loved ones of the fallen victim as well.
Where Do Slip and Fall Incidents Happen?
While slips and falls can occur anywhere, certain places are more likely to occur than others. Among them are:
Commercial properties
Such as shopping malls, office buildings, and medical centers are susceptible to slip-and-fall incidents. Because of their high product density, potential for spills, and crowded nature, grocery stores are prevalent places for slips and falls in most states. They can also present a tripping hazard.
Government Property
If a slip and fall occurs on city-maintained sidewalks and roads, in post offices, court buildings, or other government-owned buildings, the government entity responsible for those spaces bears liability.
Private Property
Slip and fall incidents occasionally occur at privately owned residences. Homeowners may be held accountable for slip and fall incidents on their property due to poor lighting, overcrowding, and improper home maintenance.
What a Premises Liability Lawyer Can Do to Help?
Many injury attorneys in Orlando handle slip-and-fall cases on a fee-only basis. This eliminates any financial risk for you because there are no up-front legal fees to pay. Only if your case is successful and you receive a settlement will the Slip & Fall/Premises Liability Lawyer be compensated. Other ways in which an attorney can help you with pursuing compensation and proving your case, include but are not limited to:
Legal Counsel
Initially, your premises liability lawyer can provide you with thorough advice and an explanation of your legal options.
Determining Negligence
Demonstrating the negligence of the business, government agency, or property owner of the location where your accident happened is one of the most difficult aspects of a slip and fall claim.
Compute Damages
Demonstrating your damages is a crucial step in making a careless property owner answer for their actions. This is essential if you want to be compensated.
Reaching a Settlement Through Negotiation
An out-of-court settlement can occasionally be beneficial to the plaintiff. But in the long run, you run the risk of being out of pocket if you don’t know how to negotiate a settlement and aren’t sure what your actual damages are. You might find that the settlement an insurance company wants to give you only partially compensates for your losses. You will, however, be unable to pursue your case in court after you accept a settlement. Your needs can be met by an attorney who can negotiate on your behalf with an insurance company and evaluate any settlement offers you receive.
How Can a Slip and Fall Claim Be Won?
A premises liability lawyer must prove that another party’s careless or reckless behavior was the reason for the injury for their case to be successful. In any case, you have to demonstrate that the property owner did not take reasonable steps to identify, address, or provide suitable warnings about potential slip and fall hazards to establish liability.
For instance, it is negligence if a spill is ignored for a long time by the owners and staff of a grocery store, causing a customer to trip and fall. It is reckless behavior for an employee or owner to intentionally create a slip and fall hazard and then ignore it, leading to an injury to a customer.
Who Should You Call For Accidents Including Slips and Falls?
To assist you in developing a case, the premises liability lawyer at Louis Berk Law will speak with witnesses about the incident and take pictures of the scene. To be sure the injury was caused by the slip alone, our team will also review medical records.
In Florida, personal injury claims should be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to hire an attorney to look into your slip and fall injuries. Because of someone else’s negligence in maintaining a safe property, injured people may have to deal with expensive medical bills, lost wages, and chronic medical conditions.