When walking from place to place, one assumes that this basic activity can be done safely. However, in the blink of an eye, someone’s life may be permanently altered by a slip and fall or trip and fall. Numerous potential injuries are associated with these incidents, all of which may lead to a long road to recovery and prevent the victim from living their life as they once did.
In these unfortunate situations, our lawyers can help. At David Hollingsworth Personal Injury Lawyers, we treat these cases with the utmost care and compassion, working to understand the details that lead to this occurrence and building a strong case to ensure fair compensation is received by these victims.
What is a Slip and Fall Lawyer?
A slip and fall lawyer specializes in representing individuals who have been injured in these accidents. They have the expertise to handle premises liability cases, which means they understand the legal responsibilities of property owners and managers to keep their premises safe for visitors.
Why You Need a Slip and Fall Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, you may face medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses. A slip and fall lawyer can help you recover compensation for your damages by filing a lawsuit against the responsible party. They can also help you negotiate a settlement with the insurance company, which can save you time and money. You may also be entitled to general damages such as compensation for pain and suffering.
How a Fall Lawyer Can Help You
Our slip and fall lawyers on the David Hollingsworth team are here for you. We can help you with:
- Investigation: We can conduct a thorough investigation into your accident to determine cause and liability. This investigation may involve using photo evidence, taking measurements, witness statements, and surveillance footage.
- Notify property owner immediately: There are strict legal requirements to provide written notice of a claim to the property owner. We provide this written notice to the owner right away.
- Gathering evidence: Other evidence we may gather to support your case includes medical records, accident reports, and expert testimony. We can use these to prove liability and the extent of your damages.
- Filing a lawsuit: Within two years of the accident, when we are satisfied that you have a viable claim, we will issue a statement of claim on your behalf to pursue your lawsuit.
- Resolving your claim: We can negotiate with the defendants on your behalf to reach a settlement that fairly compensates you for your injuries and other losses. To do this, we will calculate the full extent of your damages and present this evidence to support the claim. If this is not possible, we will take your case to trial.
The Responsibility of Property Owners
As personal injury lawyers, we see slip and fall accidents all year round. We understand how frustrating it is when an otherwise preventable injury was suffered on another’s property because a person was negligent in their duty. Sadly, most of these accidents are avoidable.
Many of the slip and fall accident cases are governed by the Occupiers’ Liability Act. Property occupiers must ensure that a premise is reasonably safe for visitors. The onus is on victims to establish there was a preventable hazard onsite that led to their injury. For the average person, this may be tough to prove.
We have a great depth of experience when it comes to advising our clients about whether they have a valid claim. Once we determine a viable claim we proceed to efficiently and effectively access the compensation to which our clients are entitled. Typically, a claim made against a premises is covered by insurance. Our lawyers are experienced in handling these slip and fall accident claims, and we can help you. You owe it to yourself to make sure you hire the best personal injury lawyer after your accident.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
A slip occurs when the friction between your foot and the ground is extremely low. As a result, you put your weight down to step, but essentially, there is nothing for your shoe to grip onto. Your foot will slide, and the force will usually result in a fall, throwing your feet out from under you while your upper body is pushed backward.
Many factors can lower the friction on the ground, which might result in slip and fall. Some common causes include:
- Wet floors or slippery areas
- Winter conditions such as ice and snow
- Uneven walking surface
- Objects or clutter in the way
- Poor signage or lighting
Increasingly, we see slip and fall accidents happening more in the colder months when it is difficult to maintain safe walkways with wet conditions associated with snow and ice. While salting and shovelling can mitigate these issues, dangerous conditions are still possible.
Symptoms Immediately Following a Slip and Fall
After you have slipped and fallen, you may notice some symptoms right away to indicate serious injuries.
- While many injuries involve arms, ankles, legs, hips, shoulders and other injured or fractured bones, many victims also experience disorientation, dizziness, loss of consciousness, or feeling nauseous. These can be signs of a concussion or further brain injury.
- Any numbness felt in your limbs or throughout your body could be a sign of a spinal cord injury as your vertebrae help to operate all parts of your anatomy.
- Soft tissue injuries affect your muscles and can also be immediately felt.
- A contortion or twist could cause tears or intense pain in addition to bruising and swelling.
What to Do After You Have Fallen
It is not uncommon to feel confused and concerned after a fall. These incidents may knock the wind out of you, and it could take some time to catch your breath. Once you do, assess your physical state and your surroundings. If you feel unable to get up, don’t force it or have others help you. It could end up causing more damage. Wait for medical professionals to arrive and escort you to the hospital.
If you are able to stand safely, do so. Consider:
- Taking photos of the area where the accident occurred
- Talking to anyone who might have seen you fall or is aware of the current slippery state of where you fell.
- Gathering witness contact information.
- Doing your best to document the time of day and any other specifics related to what happened. This may include measuring the depth and width of an uneven surface.
Afterwards, ensure you visit the hospital. Even if you feel well enough to go home or continue about your day, your body may be in shock and be masking potential injuries. A trip to the doctor will also help your case down the road should you be interested in filing a fall claim for fair compensation.
Compensation for Slip and Fall Injuries
In some cases, a slip and fall injury may result in significant inconvenient circumstances that prevent you from performing everyday activities. If you find yourself in these situations, the damage done will likely amount to more than just a bruise that goes away in a few days. This is where it’s important to consult with a fall lawyer. We can help get you the compensation you deserve when it comes to, among other things:
Medical Expenses
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses. This can include the cost of hospitalization, surgery, doctor’s visits, and medication.
Additionally, if your injuries require ongoing treatment, like physiotherapy or other rehabilitative therapy, we can work with medical experts to understand how much this will cost in the future and help you get the fair compensation you deserve.
Lost Wages
If you have to take time off work due to your injuries, you can also get compensation. This can include both past, present, and future wages that you would have earned if you had not been injured. We can help you factor in these losses to determine how much compensation you’re entitled to.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering is a phrase used to describe physical and emotional pain you may experience due to your injuries. In the context of a slip and fall accident, pain and suffering can include compensation up to a certain amount for the following:
- Physical Pain: Broken bones, sprains, strains, cuts, bruises, and other injuries.
- Emotional Distress: These accidents can cause significant emotional distress, like anxiety and depression, or even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: A situation where your injuries have caused you to lose the ability to enjoy activities you once loved. You may be entitled to compensation for the inability to participate in hobbies, sports, or other everyday activities.
- Family Law Act Claims: Immediate family members may be entitled to compensation for loss of care, guidance, and companionship as well as any economic losses.
The David Hollingsworth Approach to Slip and Fall Injury Cases
Our personal injury lawyers on the David Hollingsworth team understand how inconvenient and potentially devastating a slip and fall accident can be for fall accident victims. That’s why we take a personalized and compassionate approach to representing our clients in these types of cases. Our goal is to help you recover physically, emotionally, and financially from your injuries.
When you work with us, we will take the following steps to build a strong case on your behalf:
- Conduct a thorough investigation: We will thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding your slip and fall accident from all the gathered evidence. This can include hazardous conditions that may have contributed to the injury. We will look at any photos, surveillance footage, and witness statements to support your claim.
- Work with healthcare professionals: Our connections with industry-leading healthcare professionals allow us to understand your diagnosis and ensure you receive the proper care and treatment for your injuries. We may also obtain medical records and reports to document the extent of your injuries and the impact they have on your life. It’s important that we know about your circumstances from all angles, so we can protect you and negotiate fair compensation.
- Build a strong case: We will use all the evidence and information we gather to build a strong claim on your behalf. We will craft a compelling argument that demonstrates the liability of the property owner or at-fault party and the extent of your damages.
- Negotiate with insurance companies: We have extensive experience dealing with insurance companies and are prepared to advocate for your rights and ensure you receive fair compensation.
- Provide compassionate representation: No matter the extent of the injury, we understand that it can be difficult to recover while pursuing a legal claim. We provide empathetic representation throughout the legal process. We will keep you informed every step of the way and work tirelessly to ensure you get the compensation you deserve for a successful recovery.
Why Choose David Hollingsworth?
Aside from the compassionate and dedicated service we deliver, here’s what you can expect when you choose David Hollingsworth:
- Experience: Our team has decades of experience representing clients in slip and fall personal injury cases. We have handled claims from minor injuries to more catastrophic accidents, and we have a proven track record of success in obtaining the compensation our clients deserve.
- Expertise: Slip and fall cases can be complex, and it takes a skilled and knowledgeable lawyer to navigate the legal system and advocate for your rights. Our team has the expertise and legal knowledge necessary to build a strong case on your behalf.
- Personalized approaches: We believe that every client deserves special attention and care. That’s why we take the time to get to know you, understand your unique circumstances and needs, and develop a customized legal strategy tailored to your specific case.
- Communication: We believe that open and honest communication is key to a successful attorney-client relationship. That’s why we make it a priority to keep our clients informed throughout the legal process. We are always available to answer any questions or address concerns.
- Don’t pay until you get paid: We understand that the cost of legal representation can be a barrier for many people. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay us until you get the compensation you deserve.
- Accessibility: Pursuing a legal claim for your injuries and approaching a personal injury lawyer can be equally intimidating. The law can be complex and confusing, so we’re here to ensure you understand every step we take. We also have a multilingual team to remove language barriers that may stop you from reaching a settlement.
Slip and Fall Injuries: A Case Study
Our lawyers worked closely with a new client, “RM.” Our goal was to ensure that he received fair compensation for his injuries following his slip and fall accident. RM was a 78-year-old man who one day went to a grocery store, where he slipped and fell on a fruit that was on the tile floor. Unfortunately, he had no time to brace for his fall and sustained a concussion and laceration to the back of his head. Fruit on the floor is a frequent cause of slip and fall accidents in grocery stores.
Thankfully, RM recovered from his injuries but continued to have intermittent neck pain and intermittent headaches. Our lawyers were able to negotiate a settlement at a private settlement conference in the amount of $20,000.00. Not all slip and fall accidents are the same, and thankfully, our client didn’t sustain injuries that were permanent and were able to recover. Even though some injuries are as serious as others, compensation is still needed.
We have also represented clients with serious injuries due to an occupier’s liability where the settlement has exceeded $1,000,000. These cases are assessed on an individual basis.
*Please note: Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results and that the amount recovered and other litigation outcomes will vary according to the facts in individual cases.
