Do I have a Slip and Fall Accidents Claim?

Slip and Fall accidents can occur while shopping at grocery stores, while visiting your banks, window shopping at shopping malls, in restaurants, hotels and even while leisurely strolling on public sidewalks.  

Grocery stores, for example, are bustling places with hundreds of shoppers inside. While browsing the several isles, shoppers may spill drinks or drop objects. Merchandise displayed for sale, such as shampoo, detergent, or other product in liquid form, may leak out onto the floor from defective containers or packaging. Refrigerators displaying food may liquid refrigerant onto the floor.  This dangerous condition undermines the reasonable safety of the premises and, if not discovered and eliminated by the store owner, can lead to a slip and fall accident. 

If your slip and fall accident was caused by any of these dangerous conditions you do have a potential Slip and Fall accident claim against the negligent property owner. 

What is The Law on Slip-and-Fall Accidents?

All property owners, residential and commercial, have the duty to make sure that their premises are reasonably safe for all visitors. They also have the duty to provide visitors with adequate warning of a hidden dangerous condition on their premises, which may result in injury to their invitees. 

Am I Entitled to Compensation for my Slip and Fall Accident?

Injuries from a Slip and Fall accident range from minor soft tissue injuries to broken bones.  A Slip and Fall accident may also be deadly. Typically, these accidents result in broken wrists, ankle injuries, leg hip fracture, lower spine injuries, nerve damages, concussion, closed head injuries. The older the victim, the more likely is for the injury to be severe. This is due to decrease reflexes, more brittle bones, or pre-existing injuries.  A pre-existing condition, however, does not diminish the victim’s right to recovery or the overall value of the injury claim. 

Caution wet floor sign

Injuries arising out a slip and Fall accident entitle the victim to just and fair compensation for his or her losses. Medical Expenses, Wage loss, Physical Pain, Mental Suffering, Loss of Enjoyment of Life, Physical Impairment, Emotional Distress are some of the elements of a Slip and Fall injury claim.  

While the economic damages of an injury claim, such as medical expenses and wage loss amounts, can be easily determined, there is no fixed standard for calculating the amount of the non-economic damages, such as Pain and Suffering. Your Personal Injury Attorney must work to persuade the adverse insurance adjuster, the attorney for the at-fault party or a jury of your peers, on the fair and just value of these elements of loss. This is where legal knowledge, proven experience and passionate advocacy come into play. 

How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help Me? 

Having an attorney work for you and represent you in your Slip and Fall accident case will maximize your recovery. The attorney will counsel and guide you through the claim process and will make sure that you receive a fair and just compensation for your loss. 

In a Slip and Fall accident case, I work quickly to inspect the premises where the fall occurred, identify all responsible parties, obtain video footage of the fall (if one is still available,) explore all potential theories of liability and uncover all sources of financial responsibility. My goal is to have all the facts as early as possible, weave them with the applicable legal theories and pursue my client’s Slip and Fall claim in the most expeditious and efficient way. In the process, I keep my client informed every step of the way. 

As a plaintiff’s attorney, I handled and resolved numerous Slip and Fall accident claims against private corporation or public entities. My past experience as a defense attorney, gives me the ability to objectively evaluate a personal injury claim and effectively work with insurance adjusters making sure my client receives a just and fair compensation for his or her loss. I also understand the mind-set of defense attorneys, their defense arguments, their discovery tactics, and I know when they are ready to entertain good faith settlement negotiation or try the case in a court of law. If you were injured in a Slip and Fall accident and have questions regarding your potential claim, contact me for a free consultation, call my office at (510) 933-8335 or email me at Fulvio@PicernoLaw.com.

Disclaimer: THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE OR CREATE AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AUTHOR AND ANY PERSON. Your rights and experiences may vary. Never use an online article (including this one) to evaluate your legal claims. Speak with an experienced lawyer promptly to obtain a personalized evaluation of your claims, possible damages, and options. You may lose or compromise your rights if you delay in consulting with or retain legal counsel.