Slip and fall accidents lead to an average of over eight million hospital visits per year in the United States. Not all of these are the result of negligence on the part of a property owner, but many of them are.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident on the property of another person or entity, you may have a personal injury case. The area of law that covers these kinds of cases is called premises liability, and it covers the duties of property owners and other entities concerning the maintenance of the safety of their properties.
If you or your loved one has been injured, it’s possible that you may have a personal injury case. The only way to know for sure if you have a case is to have a personal injury lawyer evaluate the situation, but this article will help you get an idea of the value of your case.
Premises Liability
Property owners have a duty to ensure that their properties are reasonably safe. In the case of slip and fall accidents, the property owner’s duty is to make sure any and all walkways are kept dry and even, and that any wet or uneven spots in the walkways are clearly marked and taken care of in a timely manner.
Slip and fall accidents can be the result of a wet floor in between aisles in a grocery store, along sidewalks that have become cracked or otherwise uneven, and in poorly lit areas where it is difficult for people to see where they are walking.
In order to win a personal injury case, you must be able to prove that the owner of the property failed to keep their property reasonably safe and that their failure to keep the property reasonably safe caused the injuries you or your loved one received. If you can prove both of those things, you have a good chance of winning your case.
Causes of Slip and Fall Cases
Slip and fall cases can often result from poorly maintained surfaces, such as sidewalks that have become cracked and uneven. They can also result from wet floors or other surfaces that have been neglected by the owner or entity responsible for the property.
Slip and fall injuries are often the result of negligence on the part of the property owner. Some slip and fall injuries are the result of a simple accident, but in many cases there is some negligence by which the property owner contributed to the possibility of the slip and fall accident's taking place.
What to Do if You’ve Been Injured
If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident, the first thing to do is seek medical care. This is important because your health is important, but also because it’s a way of proving the connection between the accident and your injuries, if your case goes to trial.
Once you’ve gotten medical care, you should talk to an Atlanta slip and fall lawyer you can trust. The right attorney will be able to provide an evaluation of your case and help you weigh your options. If you decide to move forward, your Atlanta slip and fall lawyer can represent you in court.
Many Atlanta slip and fall lawyers offer a free initial consultation, so there’s no risk if you want to have a professional evaluate your case. If you suspect you have a personal injury case from your slip and fall accident, contact an attorney as soon as you can.
