Slip And Fall Accident Law In-depth
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
Accidents occur all the time from minor scratches to life-threatening ones. While many accidents are caused on the road, slip and fall accidents are often far too common and very serious as well.Just like is sounds, a slip and fall accident is caused when a person slips, trips, or falls on the premise of someone else's property. This can also be considered as premises liability and it can lead to some very serious injuries.
Much like other accidents, the key is being able to prove that the other party has caused your injury due to their actions or negligence. However, this can be easier said than done. There are many challenges that a slip and fall case brings to the table that aren't present for other personal injury cases.
In an auto accident for example, it is a lot easier to prove that someone else was at fault. Often you can find a lot more witnesses, physical evidence, and even police are on the scene quickly to determine what happened.
During a slip and fall accident, obtaining this proof isn't so simple. Even if you have witnesses to the accident itself, you are unlikely to find witnesses to also prove that the property owner or manager was aware of the problem to begin with. This often means having evidence that the other party clearly knew about the safety issue that lead to your injury and chose to do nothing to fix it or warn others about the problem.
For example, if a bottle of juice spilled on a grocery store floor and you slip within 20 minutes of the spill, the manager may not be liable. Unless they clearly knew about the spillage, there was no way they could have warned you or fixed the problem in time to prevent your fall. Even if they had been aware, it is not likely that you would have witnesses to them doing nothing is such a small span of time.
However, if there had been a leaky pipe that had been leaking water for weeks, the manager is liable for any injuries this may have caused. This one is more clear cut because the leaking had been happening for a long enough period of time that it seems nearly impossible that the manager didn't notice it in time to either fix the problem or at least provide proper warning. There is also a higher chance that you will find witnesses to both your fall and to the fact that the pipe had be leaking for weeks with no effort being made to fix it. In fact, you may even be able to find proof that the manager neglected to do adhere to maintenance check ups of their piping system which caused the leakage to occur.
Though it can be challenging, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to get the financial compensation for your injuries. Medical care and treatment is expensive and you shouldn't have to pay for someone else's mistake. That aside, neglecting to take legal action may ensure that others will face the same harm.
If you have been in a slip and fall accident due to the actions or neglect of a property owner or manager, don't hesitate to seek legal help! We are dedicated to getting you the financial help and compensation you deserve after an accident. Contact us today for a free case review.