Slip & Fall

Slip and Fall Accident & Personal Injury Attorney

Slip and fall accidents are personal injury claims that typically result from falling or tripping accidents. These claims require that a dangerous or hazardous condition exists which causes the accident and resultant injury. Such conditions typically include an irregularity or impediment in the ground surface or walkway, a foreign object, a hole in the ground or a substance on the ground.

A “hazardous condition” is a situation where there’s potential for injury. Hazardous conditions can be permanent, such as a broken railing, steps or floorboards or temporary such as a slippery substance from a spill, leak or weather condition.

Property owners are not always responsible for dangerous conditions and the law provides them defenses such as whether the condition is “open and obvious” and therefore should have been avoided by the injured person. If the owner or their employees did not create the condition the owners may at times successfully claim that they had no knowledge of the condition or lacked an opportunity to protect people from the condition, such as where on person spills water on the floor within a short time before someone else comes along and slips on the water, injuring themselves. It’s important to notice whether there were any warnings, cautions, or notices of potentially dangerous conditions or hazards posted in the area.

Natural inclinations for people who sustain a fall are to be self-conscious or embarrassed and quickly try to pick themselves up and move on. This can adversely affect a claim, as the time to gather important information is when the fall occurs. Identify the condition that caused the fall.

Whether it was a hole, a spill or some other cause, get out your cell phone or camera and take photos of the scene and specifically the dangerous condition that exists. Get the names and telephone numbers of everyone who saw your fall. Report the fall to the store employees and manager and ask if they knew about the condition that caused you to fall. Look around for warning signs in the area. If you are injured, seek immediate medical care and tell your doctors what caused your injuries and how you fell.

Slip and Fall Cases can be difficult but they can often be won if you act quickly to preserve the evidence and facts about the accident, and seek immediate legal advice to protect your rights.