According to the CDC, almost 800,000 people are rushed to the emergency room after suffering a slip and fall injury. While older Americans are more at risk of being injured in a fall, injuries can happen at any age. Concussions, broken bones, hip fractures, and other types of head trauma are the most common problems that send a person to the hospital after a fall.
If you have been injured after a slip and fall, you may be facing many difficulties, including pain, suffering, and financial loss. The good news is you can be compensated for economic and non-economic damages as a result of someone else’s negligence. Judd Shaw Injury Law has the experience you need to handle all types of slip and fall cases.
Contact us today at 1-866-909-6894 for a free case evaluation. Our team is available 24/7 to meet your needs. Check out our No Fee Guarantee® designed to give clients financial peace of mind.
What is a Slip-and-Fall Accident?
Slips can happen in almost any situation and are typically accidental events. A person simply loses their balance due to the ground or floor beneath being slippery, uneven, or broken. The dangerous part is not necessarily someone losing their balance but the hard landing afterward. Many slip-and-fall accidents can leave a person incapacitated for a long time.
Call Judd Shaw Injury Law today if you had a slip-and-fall accident because of someone else not maintaining their property. You deserve to be compensated for your injuries.
A Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer Will Take Stock of Your Injuries
Slip and fall injuries can range from minor to severe. A variety of situations can dictate how badly injured a person can become from a fall. For example, falling fast, slamming into the hard ground, or hitting an object. Your lawyer will want to know the extent of your injuries so they can help you get every dollar you deserve. The following is a list of injuries that can occur after a slip-and-fall accident.
Head injuries
One of the more common problems after a slip and fall are head injuries. Your head can hit a table, wall, or the ground upon impact. If you do hit your head, you should seek medical attention immediately. Everything ranging from concussions to traumatic brain injuries can occur and can be fatal if not treated.
Spine injuries
Falling suddenly is never good for the human back. A person’s spinal cord can suffer contusions, compressions, or even be completely severed. Spinal injuries rarely heal quickly and can nag a person for the rest of their life with little relief, even with treatment and surgery.
Broken bones
Another common injury after slips and falls is broken bones. Breaks can be mild or severe enough to require surgery. Causes of broken bones can be attempting to brace yourself after a fall or hitting an object on the way to the ground.
Soft tissue
Soft tissue injuries are the type that you may not even feel until a day or two later. They can include sprains and strains that are not always immediately noticeable. Even if you feel fine after a bad fall, you should still get checked out, especially if there is any swelling or minor pain. Soft tissue injuries can be more severe than you think at first.
Should You Call a Slip and Fall Lawyer?
Slip and fall incidents at a person’s home, place of business, or property can have devastating consequences. Most of the time, these accidents are not the injured party’s fault. It happened because the property owner acted negligently and failed to protect his or her lawful visitors from being hurt. This ultimately means someone else caused your painful and debilitating injuries.
After a fall, your injuries could keep you out of work for a very long time. Losing out on that much work will force you and your family to suffer financially. You should not have to deal with this situation on your own. Hiring a lawyer can help you get compensated for your losses after your slip and fall. The process will not be easy as the defendant may deny fault in the incident.
Hiring an attorney will be your best bet to securing the damages you need to get through your injury. Lawyers are skilled at creating a winning case and negotiating a fair settlement. The following is a list of ways your attorney can help you.
Gathering evidence
Gathering the right evidence is one of the most important steps in proving a case. You cannot walk into a courtroom and say the other party was negligent and automatically get handed a check. There is a process to this that requires you to prove negligence. Was the property owner, manager, or other staff members aware of the danger that led to you being injured? This information will be key to winning.
Your attorney has many ways of finding evidence that will corroborate your side of the story. This evidence can include:
- Failed or poor inspection reports
- Prior safety reports
- Statements from other witnesses
- Medical records
- Expert testimony
- Photographs of the scene
Proving liability
Not only does your lawyer have to gather evidence, but it must also show that the property owner was responsible for your injuries. Not only that, but the property owner knew there was a danger that could harm others beforehand. You cannot hold someone negligent for a condition he or she had no idea about. By not acting reasonably to fix the problem, property owners are held liable.
Your lawyer must establish:
- The owner or other staff knew about the dangerous condition of the property
- The owner or other staff created the dangerous condition
- The condition has existed for a lengthy period of time, and it should have been fixed
- That it was foreseeable that not fixing the dangerous condition could cause injuries
Proving that the negligence caused damages
It is not enough to prove that a property owner was negligent. Your lawyer will still have to prove that negligence led to your injuries. Not only that, but your injuries resulted in a loss of some type. If your slip and fall were serious, you might accumulate many costs.
The costs you can incur after a slip-and-fall accident can include:
- Medical bills
- Emergency transportation costs
- Physical therapy
- Lost income
- Future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
Negotiating a fair settlement
The property owner will likely rely on his or her insurance company to pay for damages because of your slip and fall. Insurance companies are notorious for fighting claims that come their way. Even if you have all the evidence on your side and liability is proven, getting every dollar you deserve will not be easy. Insurance companies are businesses that focus on profit first.
One tactic insurance companies employ is making a quick lowball offer. The hope is that you are desperate enough to accept the first offer. Waiting can be difficult, especially when you are suffering financially. The reality is that a first-time lowball offer will not be enough to cover your bills. Once an offer is accepted, there is no going back to ask for more money. The matter is settled.
Do not accept the first offer. Your lawyer will know exactly how much you should be paid for your losses. He or she will also negotiate for a fair amount to help you through this difficult season. If the insurance company is unwilling to negotiate, there are other things your attorney can do, like filing a lawsuit to pursue damages. Most people want to settle before things escalate to going to trial.
Call Judd Shaw Injury Law for Reliable Slip and Fall Advice
Most people have fallen multiple times throughout their life. The general reaction is to get up and continue your day, even if you are in pain. It can be embarrassing, especially if you injure yourself on someone else’s private property in front of others. Life after a slip and fall can be difficult, especially if it requires a visit to the hospital and time from work.
You do not have to suffer in silence. The experienced attorneys at Judd Shaw Injury Law are available 24/7 to meet your legal needs. Even if you do not know whether you have a case, we offer free consultations whenever you need one. Our team provides compassionate legal services while following our core values. That is the Judd Shaw Way.
Be sure to contact us at 1-866-909-6894 to learn more about how we can help you win your slip and fall case. If we take on your case, we will work hard to help you get the compensation you deserve. Be sure to check out our No Fee Guarantee® today.