DID YOU SLIP & FALL?
When an individual is injured on someone else’s property due to the property owner’s negligence, the individual has what is known as a premises liability claim. These are also sometimes referred to as “slip and fall claims” and “trip and fall claims.” In many of these cases the dangerous condition that causes the injury is due to improper maintenance or neglect by the property owner. We sometimes assume property owners will maintain their property in a responsible manner. However this is often not always the case, and owners fail to prevent hazardous conditions that may lead to accidents or injury.
Premises liability accidents can cause serious injuries that may prevent you from being able to care for your family, work, and go about your day to day activities. You may also experience financial problems due to your inability to work. You will have medical expenses, and even if you have health insurance you may still have to pay copays with each visit.
In these cases, pursuing compensation through a personal injury claim is often the best way to ensure that those responsible for your pain and suffering take financial responsibility for your accident.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF PROPERTY LIABILITY CASES?
• Accidents involving swimming pools such as accidental drowning.
• Slip and falls on broken stairs or stars without proper handrails.
• Slip and falls in grocery stores and other big box stores such as Costco, Sams Club and Walmart.
• Falling objects off of shelves at big box stores such as Costco, Sam’s Club and Walmart.
• Dog Bites
• Slip and Falls on ice due to businesses failing to timely and properly treat their parking lots
• Falls on uneven pavement (these claims are often against government entities)
• Deck Collapses—individuals standing on an outside deck and the deck crashes to the ground.
• Falls on water or other liquids due to improper maintenance of plumbing, toilets, dishwashers and washer/dryers.
• Ceiling collapses
WHAT ARE THE LAWS IN MY STATE?
Each State has slightly different laws regarding premises liability claims. In most cases it is critical to prove that the property owner had notice of the dangerous condition. Each state also has a different statute of limitations to file a lawsuit. Therefore, if you are injured as a result of fall it is important to retain a lawyer as soon as possible after the incident to get proper advice on the applicable deadlines.
One piece of good news regarding premises liability cases is that the insurance policies that cover commercial and residential property typically high coverage amounts. Some insurance policies also provide Med Pay coverage which is no fault coverage that will quickly pay for some of your medical expenses.
WERE YOU INJURED IN A SLIP & FALL?
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