You did not plan to get hurt. You were shopping, visiting a friend, grabbing a meal, or simply going about your day, and in an instant, a dangerous condition on someone else’s property changed everything. Slip and fall accidents can cause serious, life-altering injuries, and the road to recovery can be long and expensive.
When a property owner’s negligence caused your accident, you have the right to pursue compensation for your damages. But property owners and their insurance companies will fight hard to avoid paying what you are owed. They often attempt to shift the blame onto you. You need an experienced slip and fall lawyer to protect your rights and fight for the full value of your claim.
At Harpy Law, our premises liability lawyers have the experience, skills, and resources to investigate your accident, build your strongest case, and hold negligent property owners accountable. We represent clients in:
- California – Los Angeles, greater LA County, and Valley Village
- Florida – Hollywood, Aventura, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale
- Ohio – Cleveland and Parma
- Texas – Dallas and Houston
- Washington – Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Tacoma, and Redmond
Call us or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation with an experienced slip and fall lawyer today.
The Harpy Law Advantage
- Our slip and fall attorneys have extensive experience in premises liability law and a deep understanding of how to investigate these cases, prove negligence, and recover maximum compensation for our clients.
- We have a proven track record of securing significant settlements and awards for slip and fall victims, and we are committed to helping you recover the full value of your damages.
- We give every client our personal attention. We will listen to your story, honestly evaluate your claim, and tailor a legal strategy to the specific facts of your case.
- Our slip and fall attorneys are available around the clock. Slip and fall cases require prompt action to preserve evidence, and we are ready to get to work for you right away.
- We handle slip-and-fall claims on a contingency-fee basis. You pay nothing upfront, and we collect a fee only if we recover compensation for you.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip-and-fall accidents can happen almost anywhere and are caused by a wide range of hazardous conditions. Some of the most common causes include:
- Wet or slippery floors
- Uneven pavement or flooring
- Cracked or broken sidewalks
- Parking lot potholes
- Poor or inadequate lighting
- Torn, loose, or bunched carpeting
- Debris or clutter in walkways
- Broken or missing handrails
- Defective or broken steps and stairs
- Worn or deteriorated walking surfaces
- Flooded or icy walkways
Identifying the precise cause of your accident is critical to establishing liability and building a successful claim. Our slip and fall lawyers will thoroughly investigate your accident, act quickly to preserve evidence, and work to uncover every contributing factor.
Common Injuries in Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip-and-fall accidents are not minor incidents. They can result in serious injuries that require extensive medical treatment and may have lasting consequences. Some of the most common injuries sustained in slip and fall accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Spinal cord damage
- Neck and back injuries
- Shoulder and knee injuries
- Sprains and soft tissue damage
- Cuts and lacerations
- Complications from initial injuries
You should seek medical attention immediately after a slip and fall accident, even if you do not believe your injuries are serious. Some significant injuries are not immediately apparent, and delaying treatment can both jeopardize your health and weaken your right to seek compensation.
Proving Negligence in a Slip and Fall Claim
To succeed in a slip and fall claim, you must prove that the property owner was negligent. This generally requires establishing four things: that the property owner owed you a duty of care; that they breached that duty by failing to address or warn of a hazardous condition; that this breach caused your accident and injuries; and that you suffered actual damages as a result.
The duty of care a property owner owes depends on your status as a visitor at the time of the accident. Invitees, such as customers at a business, are owed the highest duty of care, and property owners must actively identify and address hazards. Licensees, such as social guests, are owed a somewhat lesser duty. Trespassers are generally owed only minimal protection, though exceptions exist, particularly where children are concerned.
Property owners frequently argue that the hazard that caused your fall was “open and obvious.” This means you should have seen it and avoided it yourself. However, this defense does not always hold up. If you were distracted for a legitimate reason, or if the danger was severe enough that protection was warranted regardless of its visibility, the property owner may still be liable.
Slip-and-fall claims are often aggressively contested. Having an experienced slip and fall lawyer who understands how to counter these defenses is essential.
How an Experienced Slip and Fall Attorney Can Help You
Insurance companies are not on your side. From the moment your accident occurs, they are working to limit what they pay you or avoid paying anything at all. An experienced slip and fall attorney levels the playing field.
Your attorney can thoroughly investigate your accident to identify all possible causes and liable parties. They can act quickly to preserve time-sensitive evidence. They can gather witness statements, obtain maintenance and inspection records, and conduct discovery to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.
Your lawyer can accurately value all of your current and future economic and non-economic damages, so you know what a fair settlement looks like. They can negotiate aggressively with the insurance company to pursue a fair resolution, and if a fair settlement cannot be reached, they can take your case to trial and demand the full compensation you deserve.
Your chances of recovering maximum compensation are significantly higher when an experienced slip and fall lawyer is in your corner.
Contact Our Slip and Fall Attorneys Today
If you were injured in a slip and fall accident caused by a property owner’s negligence, do not face the insurance companies alone. At Harpy Law, we are committed to fighting for the full compensation you deserve.
Call us or visit our contact page today to schedule a free consultation.