Nationwide Slip and Fall Lawyers Holding Negligent Owners Accountable
Dedicated Premises Liability Lawyer Representation.
A sudden slip, trip, or fall on someone else’s unsafe property can cause serious, unexpected injuries. Our dedicated slip and fall lawyers help victims nationwide demand fair compensation, and you pay absolutely nothing unless we win your case.
Pay Absolutely Nothing Unless We Win
Work with us risk-free – you pay zero upfront costs and owe no attorney fees unless we win your personal injury claim.
Aggressive Advocacy Against Insurance Companies
Our personal injury lawyers fight relentlessly against insurers to achieve the maximum fair compensation you deserve.
Your Well-being Comes First
Your recovery is our priority; we handle the complex legal details so you can focus solely on healing.
Hurt in a slip and fall accident? Let us help you.
When is a Property Owner Liable for a Slip and Fall?
Property owners, managers, and occupiers generally have a legal responsibility – known as ‘premises liability’ – to maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition for people who are lawfully present.
This means they are expected to take sensible precautions to prevent foreseeable injuries caused by dangerous or hazardous conditions on their premises, whether that property is a grocery store, apartment building, parking lot, sidewalk, or even a private home.
Determining the duty owed is a key step your slip and fall lawyer will investigate.
- For instance, customers visiting a business (legally termed ‘invitees’) are typically owed the highest duty. This generally requires the owner not only to warn about known dangers but also to make reasonable efforts to inspect the property, discover potential hazards, and fix them or provide adequate warning.
- When a property owner or manager fails to meet this legal duty of care – for example, by not cleaning up a spill promptly or fixing a broken railing they knew or should have known about – and this failure directly causes someone to slip, trip, and suffer injuries, the owner can potentially be held legally liable for the victim’s damages through a slip and fall lawsuit.
How to Prove Slip and Fall Negligence
Just because you were injured in a slip and fall on someone else’s property doesn’t automatically mean the owner is legally responsible. To successfully pursue compensation through a slip and fall claim, we typically must prove the property owner was negligent.
A crucial part of proving negligence in these cases involves showing the owner had ‘notice’ – meaning they knew, or reasonably should have known, about the dangerous condition that caused your fall but failed to fix it or adequately warn you.
There are generally two ways to establish that a property owner had the required notice:
Actual Notice
This means demonstrating that the property owner or one of their employees specifically knew about the hazardous condition before your fall. Examples include seeing a spill and not cleaning it up, receiving a direct complaint about a broken handrail, or having created the hazard themselves (like during mopping)
Constructive Notice
This applies if the dangerous condition existed for a long enough period that the property owner should have discovered it through reasonable inspection and maintenance practices, even if they didn’t have actual knowledge. Evidence like how long a spill was present before the fall, or lack of regular documented safety checks, can help establish constructive notice.
Proving notice often requires gathering evidence quickly before it disappears or circumstances change. This can include incident reports filed immediately after the fall, statements from witnesses who saw the hazard or how long it was present, surveillance video footage (which often has limited retention times), and potentially store cleaning or maintenance logs.
An experienced slip and fall lawyer understands the importance of launching a prompt investigation to secure this vital proof needed for negotiating a fair slip and fall settlement or pursuing a lawsuit.
Common (and Often Serious) Slip and Fall Injuries
A sudden slip, trip, or fall due to a hazardous condition on someone else’s property can result in significant slip and fall injuries, some with potentially long-lasting effects.
Some of the injuries commonly associated with slip, trip, and fall accidents include:
Fractures (Broken Bones)
These are very common, particularly affecting the hip (especially in older adults, often requiring surgery), wrist or arm (from trying to break the fall), ankle, or leg.
Sprains and Strains
Damage to ligaments (sprains) or muscles/tendons (strains), frequently occurring in the ankles, knees, or wrists.
Head Injuries
Falls can easily lead to head trauma if the head strikes the ground or another object. This ranges from mild concussions with temporary symptoms to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) with potentially permanent cognitive or physical effects.
Back and Spinal Cord Injuries
Impacts from falls can cause herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, or, in severe cases, damage to the spinal cord itself, potentially leading to chronic pain or paralysis.
Cuts, Lacerations, and Contusions
Bruises and cuts are common from the impact and can sometimes be deep or require stitches.
Shoulder Injuries
Injuries like shoulder dislocations or rotator cuff tears can occur when trying to catch oneself during a fall.
These types of injuries often require significant medical treatment, physical therapy, and time off work, leading to substantial physical, emotional, and financial burdens. Properly documenting all your injuries and the entire recovery process is a vital part of building a strong slip and fall claim. Our slip and fall lawyers understand the impact these injuries have and can help guide you.
What Compensation Can You Seek After a Slip and Fall?
Pursuing fair compensation often requires the help of an experienced slip and fall lawyer to identify and value all applicable damages, which may include:
These damages are intended to cover your measurable monetary losses:
- Medical Expenses: Costs for all related medical care, including ER visits, hospital stays, surgeries, physical therapy, medication, chiropractic care, and anticipated future treatment needs.
- Lost Wages: Income lost because you were unable to work while recovering from your fall injuries.
- Loss of Future Earning Capacity: If your injuries result in a long-term or permanent disability affecting your ability to earn income.
- Other Out-of-Pocket Expenses: Costs for things like necessary assistive devices (crutches, braces), transportation to medical appointments, or essential household help during recovery.
These damages compensate for the non-financial ways the injury has affected you:
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain, discomfort, and emotional distress experienced due to the fall and resulting injuries.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Addressing how the injuries limit your ability to participate in daily activities, hobbies, or social events you previously enjoyed.
- Permanent Disability or Impairment: For lasting physical limitations or functional losses caused by the injury (e.g., from a severe fracture or back injury).
- Scarring or Disfigurement: Compensation if the fall resulted in significant or permanent scarring.
These are generally not awarded in standard slip and fall cases, but might be possible in rare situations involving extreme or willful disregard for visitor safety by the property owner.
Properly calculating the full value of these damages, especially projecting future medical needs or valuing pain and suffering, is essential for obtaining a fair slip and fall settlement. Our slip and fall lawyers work meticulously to document every aspect of your losses.
Key Actions & Considerations After Your Slip and Fall
If you’re recovering from injuries sustained in a slip, trip, or fall on someone else’s property, knowing what steps to prioritize now can help protect both your health and your potential slip and fall claim. While focusing on your recovery is essential, keep these important considerations in mind:
Continue All Recommended Medical Care
Diligently follow your doctor’s treatment plan, attend all physical therapy sessions, and keep every follow-up appointment. Consistent medical documentation is vital for demonstrating your injuries.
Gather & Preserve Your Documentation
Collect and keep safe copies of everything related to the incident: any incident report filed with the property owner, photos/videos you or someone else took of the scene/hazard/injuries, contact information for witnesses, all medical records and bills, and proof of any lost wages.
Keep the Shoes You Were Wearing
Do not wear or discard the footwear you had on at the time of the fall.
Keep them exactly as they were, as they might be important evidence regarding the slip resistance or condition at the time.
Track Ongoing Effects & Expenses
Maintain simple notes about your daily pain levels, physical limitations, how the injury impacts your work and activities, medical appointments attended, and any out-of-pocket costs incurred (medication, travel, etc.).
Be Cautious with Property Owners & Insurers
Avoid giving recorded statements or signing any documents (including medical authorizations) requested by the property owner or their insurance adjuster without first speaking to your slip and fall attorney. You can politely decline and refer them to your lawyer.
Limit Social Media Activity
Be mindful of posting pictures or comments online about the fall or your activities. Insurance companies often search social media for anything they might use to argue your injuries aren’t as limiting as you claim.
Be Aware of Filing Deadlines
Strict time limits, called statutes of limitations, apply for filing premises liability lawsuits, and they vary by state. Missing the deadline means losing your right to seek compensation.
Hazardous conditions are often quickly cleaned up or repaired after an incident. Contacting a skilled slip and fall lawyer soon allows for a timely investigation (like requesting surveillance footage or maintenance logs) and helps protect your legal rights from the start.
How Our Nationwide Slip and Fall Lawyers Can Help
We leverage our national resources and local counsel partnerships to effectively handle your claim under your state’s specific premises liability laws. As your dedicated slip and fall lawyer, we handle your case on a contingency fee basis – meaning you pay absolutely no attorney fees unless we win compensation for you.
Prompt Investigation
Our team acts quickly to investigate the accident scene, gather crucial evidence (like photos, videos, incident reports), and interview available witnesses before conditions change.
Proving Negligence & Damages
We build a strong case to demonstrate the property owner's negligence and meticulously document the full extent of your injuries and financial losses.
Handling Insurance Communications
We manage all interactions and negotiations with the property owner's insurance company, protecting you from unfair tactics.
Negotiating Your Settlement
Our lawyers fight assertively to achieve a full and fair slip and fall settlement that properly compensates you for your damages.
Litigation When Necessary
If a just settlement cannot be agreed upon, our experienced slip and fall attorneys are fully prepared to file a lawsuit and advocate for you in court.
No Upront Fees or Costs
We represent injured of slip and fall accidents strictly on a contingency fee basis, meaning you owe our firm absolutely nothing unless we successfully recover compensation for you.
Serving Slip and Fall Claims Across the U.S.
An injury resulting from a slip, trip, or fall due to unsafe property conditions can happen anywhere in the country. Our firm is committed to providing skilled legal representation nationwide.
Our network of experienced local counsel allows our slip and fall lawyer team to effectively handle premises liability claims for clients injured in all 50 states.
Injured in a Slip and Fall? Get Your Free Consultation
Understanding your legal rights is the first step towards potential recovery. Contact Pinnacle Injury Firm today for a free, completely confidential consultation with an experienced premises liability lawyer. There is absolutely no obligation to hire our firm, and remember our promise: you pay nothing unless we successfully recover compensation for you. Let us help you explore your options.