When you visit someone else’s property, you have every right to expect that the property owner has taken reasonable steps to keep you safe from a slip and fall or some other type of injury from a hazard. These cases are generally known as premise liability cases, and a “slip and fall” is one of the most common types of these instances. This is a tort case, meaning that a victim will seek financial compensation from the party responsible for the management of the property that they were injured on, usually the owner.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall case, you may either need to file a claim with an insurance company representing the defendant or deal directly with the defendant’s legal team. Regardless, you will benefit greatly from your own legal representation in order to move forward with the support that you deserve and to seek a positive outcome. After this unfortunate situation, you should be able to prioritize your recovery without needing to be concerned about various legal issues, which is why hiring an attorney is so important.
Read more below to get a better sense of some of the specifics of slip and fall law in Tampa, and contact us now in order to be connected with an attorney who is ready to take your case today.
About Slip and Fall Accident Law
Property owners, or those controlling the property, have a legal responsibility to keep the property maintained and free from dangers that could injure visitors to the premise. If the property owner or controller fails to keep up with maintenance or correcting any hazards, and someone is injured as a result, then the victim is entitled to compensation for their injuries.
In order to prove that a property owner or manager is responsible for your injuries on their property, you will need to work with your slip and fall lawyer to establish a few key factors:
- There was a hazard present on the property that the defendant either knew about and ignored or should have reasonably been aware of. This is known as a “duty of care” and you will need to prove that the defendant failed this duty of care due to negligence.
- You were injured as a result of this hazard by slipping or tripping and falling
- Your injuries have measurable damages
If these details are present in your situation, then you may likely have a case. However, you will still have a significant burden of proof in order to make a compelling argument that the defendant is, in fact, financially responsible for your injuries.
Why Hire a Slip and Fall Lawyer?
Since you will need to clearly set a case out for WHY the defendant owes you compensation, before even beginning to make a case for the amount of compensation that you are seeking, you will greatly benefit from working with an experienced professional. At the same time that you are attempting to prove your case, the defendant or their insurance team will be working aggressively to limit the amount that they ultimately pay for your injuries.
The legal knowledge that goes into both building and proving these cases are very complicated and can be completely overwhelming for someone who is not experienced with personal injury claims in Florida. Insurance companies use this to their advantage by trying to get victims to agree to settlement amounts that are much less than what they deserve. Your attorney will be able to focus on negotiations for your settlement while you are focusing on recovering from your injuries, free from unnecessary stress.
In addition to the benefits of your legal case, when working with an attorney you connect with through 1-800-Injured you will only pay if you win. Your attorney will take a percentage of your final award. Many people believe that hiring an attorney is too expensive for them, especially when dealing with the financial impacts of their accident, but this is not the case.
Common Slip and Fall Injuries
There are many different injuries that someone could suffer in this situation, but some of the most common injuries are these following examples:
Bone Fractures
When someone slips and falls, it is natural for them to put their arms out to protect themselves and break the impact of the fall. In many cases, this leads to broken wrists or arms, but depending on details of the fall—such as the force of the impact and the part of the body that first hit the ground—someone can suffer from a wide range of broken bones.
Sprains
Sprains are common in ankles and wrists but can happen anywhere that soft tissues, such as ligament and muscle, can be torn and injured. These injuries typically happen because a joint hyperextends during a fall and causes damages to the soft tissues around it. Minor sprains can typically recovery with rest, but serious sprains could require surgery.
Bruising
A bruise happens when the capillaries under the skin break, leading to dark and sensitive areas under the skin that can appear blue, purple, green, or many other colors. Bruises typically clear up on their own with proper care and enough time, but a hematoma—a separate injury characterized by internally-pooling blood—requires medical intervention.
Internal Bleeding
When a blood vessel or an organ suffers from damages and blood begins running freely into the body from the location of the injury, this is known as internal bleeding. These types of injuries require medical attention, or the victim can suffer serious, life-threatening conditions.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries can range from minor concussions to permanent brain death, with many different conditions and consequences between the two. When the head and brain suffer from an impact, the brain is at risk of being injured by being rattled around inside the skull, and in instances where the skull suffers damage as well, the injury could even be the result of a direct impact. Regardless of the specific causes, traumatic brain injuries are extremely dangerous and must be treated by a doctor no matter how minor or serious they may seem.
Steps To Take After Slip and Fall Accident
Call 911
As with any injury or accident, the most important thing to do first is to prioritize your health needs. This means contacting 911 as soon as possible or alerting someone in the area who can call and alert the proper authorities. When EMTs arrive on the scene, accept medical care from them and work with them to determine the necessary next steps for your medical treatment. This could either require an ambulance from the accident, or you may be able to leave under your own power.
See a Doctor
Regardless of whether or not you accept emergency medical treatment, it is absolutely essential that you see your doctor as soon as possible, both to treat your injuries and to establish a medical record that will support your personal injury claim.
Hire a Slip and Fall Attorney in Tampa
As soon as you are able to take your full attention away from your injuries, contact a lawyer. Before you even initiate your insurance claim or make contact with the property owner, you will benefit from having strong legal representation from an attorney that can help you navigate the complicated process that you are about to begin.
Contact 1-800-Injured as soon as possible to get connected with a skilled, dedicated lawyer for your needs.