When you enter someone else’s property, whether it is private, public, or even government property, you have every right to expect that the individual or group in charge of maintaining the property has taken the appropriate steps to ensure that your visit will be a safe one. This means that the property manager or owner has ensured that their walkways and stairs are up to code and in safe working order, that visitors will not run the risk of slipping on wet floors or falling over faulty flooring, and that construction workers have taken the necessary steps to secure their work so that passersby are not injured.
This responsibility is called premise liability, and in the event that you are injured on someone else’s property, you likely have legal rights to seek compensation for your injuries. However, no matter how clear it may seem, there will always be complications through your claims process while the insurance company looks for every possible reason to limit your settlement amount. Working with an attorney is an established way to combat the insurance company’s efforts to pay you less than what you deserve, but even finding an attorney who is available to take your case can feel impossible when you are first coming to terms with your injuries in the days and week after your accidents. Luckily, there is help.
Find a Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer in Sarasota Today
1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service. Instead of needing to take on the stress of finding an available personal injury attorney in your area to help you through your insurance claim, we can connect you with a lawyer who is ready to take your case today. With ease, you will be connected with an attorney for a free initial consultation, where they will be able to discuss the specifics of your accident with you, as well as cases similar to your that they have handled in the past, the steps they would recommend that you take, and how they can help you move forward. The sooner you contact 1-800-Injured, the sooner you will be able to look to the future with confidence, knowing that an aggressive and diligent Sarasota slip and fall lawyer is fighting to get the money that you rightfully deserve.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Sarasota
A slip, trip, or fall can happen for nearly any reason, but the following are a few examples of common causes of these types of premise liability cases. Whether or not you see your own situation mentioned below, contact us now so that you can speak with an attorney about your unique situation and begin taking the necessary steps to move forward towards a fair settlement.
Improper Maintenance
A leaky pipe in the ceiling overhead can cause a slippery floor, a faulty handrail can cause a fall, and any other number of ways that a property manager fails to maintain their property can put you at a significant risk of injury. Upkeep is an essential part of premise liability, and if the manager fails to do so and you are injured as a result, then you are likely entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Wet Floors
We are all familiar with the ubiquitous “WET FLOOR” sign that often stands in front of a bathroom door, or in the aisle of a grocery store after a spill. Failure to place a sign out like this can put visitors at risk of slipping on a wet tile or linoleum floor and is one of the most common causes of slip and fall claims and lawsuits. There are times that a property manager may be able to avoid liability for a wet floor—such as if they are able to prove that there was no way they could have known about it—but your attorney will be able to help you build a compelling case for why you deserve compensation.
Poorly-Signed Hazards
If there is an existing hazard on the property that you are visiting, and the manager is unable to repair it before you arrive, then it is important for them to properly sign the hazard, and possible cordon off the area to keep you and others from encountering the risk. Not being able to repair a hazard in time of your visit does not waive a property owner’s liability, because they are expected to warn you of these risks if they are unable to address them.
Calculating Damages After a Slip and Fall Accident in Sarasota
After your fall, you will certainly encounter a range of financial impacts that are directly the result of your accident, but the damages that you are entitled to will likely go beyond the obvious impacts that you are seeing. Your attorney will help you to itemize and quantify all compensatory damages that you have endured and will make a strong argument for each of them during a series of aggressive negotiations for an out-of-court settlement, or in court documents during a lawsuit.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the basis of a personal injury claim or lawsuit because they seek compensation for the most obvious damages: those that have dollar values. They include things like all of your medical costs—including hospital bills, ambulance rides, prescription costs, copayments, assistive devices like wheelchairs or crutches, and more—as well as any impacts on your income like lost wages.
There are many other economic damages that are included in a comprehensive settlement package that are specific to your injuries, including services that you may need to hire in order to help you with everyday chores like house cleaning, driving, grocery shopping, and more, among the many other economic damages your attorney will help you to identify.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are more difficult to calculate because they seek compensation for damages that have no dollar value or simple way to assign a dollar value. They include things like the actual pain and suffering of your injuries and the emotional damage that such a traumatic experience causes. As you can imagine, these damages are much more likely to be rejected or contested by the insurance company – not because they are illegitimate, but simply because the insurance company will look for any way to reduce their payment, and these are easier to push back on.
Your attorney will be able to choose from a range of methods to calculate these damages in order to give you a solid chance of getting a fair settlement for these damages.