Thousands suffer from slip and fall injuries every day. Sometimes, it’s just a little stumble, but other times, it can cause real pain and problems. If you’ve been hurt this way, you might be wondering if you can get help.
The pleasing news is that many people who get hurt in these accidents can ask for compensation for slip and fall injury victims to cover medical bills and other costs. But before that happens, lawyers look at a lot of things to see if your case is strong.
Initial Steps
The first thing a lawyer wants to know is your story; they’ll ask you what happened in detail:
- Where did you fall?
- What caused the fall?
- Was anyone else around?
- Did you take any photos or talk to the staff?
They’ll ask if there are photos of the scene, your injuries, or if there’s a report. Lawyers also checked if there were cameras or any eyewitnesses. It seems basic, but these details help you frame your case even stronger.
Establishing Liability
Someone Has to Be at Fault
You can’t just fall and expect to win a case. A lawyer needs to show that someone else was careless. Did they ignore a wet floor? Was the lighting bad? Did they know about a broken step and do nothing?
That’s what “liability” really means: someone didn’t fix something or warn you, and that led to your fall.
Were You Also Being Careless?
This might sting a little, but it matters. Were you texting while walking? Did you walk through a “no restricted” door? Were you wearing flip-flops on an icy sidewalk?
Lawyers check if anything you did may have caused or added to the fall. In some states, that can change how much money you’re able to get.
Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
It’s usually not just bad luck that actually causes people to slip and fall. There’s often something wrong with the place where it happened.
Here are some of the common things lawyers look for:
- Slippery floors with no warning sign – Maybe someone just mopped, or a drink spilled, and no one mopped it up or put up a “Wet Floor” sign in that place. That’s a big red flag.
- Cracked sidewalks or uneven flooring – If the ground isn’t level, it’s easy to trip, especially if you weren’t expecting it. Property owners are supposed to fix these things or at least warn people.
- Poor lighting – If you can’t see where you’re walking, how are you supposed to avoid a hazard? Dim or broken lights in hallways, staircases, or parking lots can make it hard to spot danger.
- Loose rugs or floor mats – These seem harmless, but can slide around or bunch up, which can trip people. They’re supposed to be secured properly to the floor.
- Stairs without handrails or with broken steps – Stairs are already risky. If there’s no handrail or the steps are damaged, the chance of falling goes way up.
- Ice or water that wasn’t cleaned up – In colder places, ice outside buildings is a big cause of falls. Property owners usually have a duty to shovel, salt, or take care of it within a reasonable time.
When a lawyer hears about your fall, they’ll go through all these possible causes in their mind.
Injuries Associated with a Slip and Fall Accident
Some people bounce back quickly, while others may deal with pain or problems for weeks, months, or even longer.
Here are some common injuries lawyers see in slip-and-fall cases:
- Head injuries
- Broken bones
- Bruises and cuts
- Back or neck pain
- Sprained ankles or wrists
Slip and fall cases are about accountability. A good lawyer will look beyond your injury and focus on why it happened and who could have prevented it.
If you ever find yourself in this situation, remember: what seems like “just a fall” to you might look very different in a lawyer’s eyes. The more you understand what they’re looking for, the better prepared you’ll be to take the next step.
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