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.
Our Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers Know That Many Falls Could Have Been Avoided if the Terrain was Safe
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 and their lawyers to establish a hazard on site that led to their injury. 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. These include wet floors or slippery areas, winter conditions such as ice and snow, or uneven walking surfaces. 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, indicating serious injuries. While many injuries involve ankles, hips, shoulders and other injured 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, and talk to anyone who might have seen you fall or is aware of the current slippery state of where you fell. Do your best to document the time of day and any other specifics related to what happened. 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 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.
We want what’s Right for You After Your Slip and Fall Accident
Our slip and fall accident lawyers work with top medical professionals to diagnose your injuries and review the conditions of the property where the accident occurred. It’s important we know everything about your injury so we can protect your rights and so you can receive appropriate damages, including:
- Non-pecuniary general damages (for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of amenities)
- Future and present loss of income
- Loss of competitive advantage
- Loss of household and handyman capacity
- Cost of medical care and treatment
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
- In more serious cases, family members can be compensated for the loss of care, guidance and companionship and any economic losses they suffer.
Maximum Compensation for Slip and Fall Accidents/Accident Scenario
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.
