What You Need to Do If You Get Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident

Why You Should Seek Compensation for Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents occur more often than imagined, and statistics from the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) indicate there are over 1 million cases annually. On average, the hospital bills for these accidents are over $30,000. These hospital bills are devastating for most families, and they lead to insurance expenses that are difficult for most to pay.

What Are Slip and Fall Accidents?

NFSI defines slip and fall accidents as the various forms of personal injury cases that happen when individuals slip and fall. When this happens, the victim can take legal action due to pre-existing risky conditions while on someone else’s property. The dangerous conditions can range from defective handrails on staircases or inadequate lighting to nearly anything that poses a risk. If you get injured from a slip and fall accident, you can sue the homeowner if you can prove negligence on his/her part. You can pursue a slip and fall claim with the intent to hold a property holder liable for the injuries sustained while on the property.

Generally, property owners, companies, and government entities are all subject to premise liability laws. Therefore, any property owner has a responsibility to keep individuals safe from risky conditions on their properties. If the owner fails to protect you from such risks, then you are entitled to pursue legal action against him or her. Under such circumstances, you can get compensation for any damage inflicted on you.

Personal Injury Lawyers in Pennsylvania

Slip and fall accidents are among the most frequent causes of injuries in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Most individuals don’t know whether or not slip and fall accidents require legal action. Others don’t know the total compensation for negligence under slip and fall settlements. If you or your relative got injuries from a slip and fall accident, you should contact an experienced Allentown personal injury lawyer today. The law firm of Metzger & Kleiner is here to help you pursue legal action for fair compensation.

Most courts can disregard legal actions resulting from slip and fall cases as unfounded claims if your representation in the case is insufficient. A legal action for a slip and fall accident needs substantial evidence. You are required to prove negligence on the part of the property owner beyond a reasonable doubt. For instance, a property owner who leaves an oily spill on the floor that causes you to slip and fall acts negligently. The example is categorized as negligent because the property owner fails to meet the responsibility of care needed to protect you.

Why Slip and Fall Accidents Often Require Legal Action

Have you been involved in a slip and fall accident? If so, contact your Allentown personal injury lawyer to guide you on what you need to do. The main reason you should immediately seek legal action for injuries sustained from a slip and fall accident is the legal timeline restrictions. You have a given period to start pursuing legal action against the property owner where you got injured.

The most prevalent legal action taken against property owners in a personal injury suit is negligence. The maximum allowed period for you to pursue legal action is three years. Therefore, after initiating the case in court, the proceedings need to kick off and a ruling made within the three years. The years start counting from when you suffer an injury due to a slip and fall accident. Depending on the conditions of your legal suit, a court may decide to prolong the timeline for hearing your case.

However, this rarely happens, and therefore, you should prepare yourself to immediately take legal action if you get injuries from a slip and fall accident. You should pursue legal action to get compensation for the damages you sustain from the accident. For instance, you should seek reimbursement for medical expenses, lost wages, emotional distress, and permanent incapacitation resulting from a slip and fall accident. Ultimately, this is why slip and fall accidents often require legal action.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

• Structural faults: Properties wear and tear as they age. The property owner should maintain them to avoid hazardous conditions that can make you slip and fall. Property owners can be held liable for substandard construction of the property where a slip and fall accident occurs. Omissions that count as negligence on the part of a property owner include the absence of handrails on staircases and cracked sidewalks.
• Weather-related dangers: Property owners have a responsibility to lower the risk of dangerous conditions emerging from weather changes within their properties. For example, premise owners need to shovel snow on the sidewalks during winter to protect you and others from slip and fall accidents.
• Trip hazards: These dangers include things that may raise your chances of encountering a slip and fall accident. For instance, cracked floors, electrical cables, and inadequate lighting can cause this type of accident.

How to Gather Evidence After a Slip and Fall Accident

• Document the scene of the accident: You can take photos of the area to document the prevailing conditions. Ensure you capture relevant details, including any objects or spills on the floor that may have caused you to slip and fall.
• Record witness details: Ensure you note down the name and contact details of any individual who witnessed the accident. You may need them to narrate what they had seen while you pursue legal action.
• Inform the property owner about the accident and obtain a report from him/her: Most companies and stores have an accident policy that requires you to file a slip and fall accident report. Once you file the report, ensure you get your copy. You are entitled to know what the property owner has filed regarding the slip and fall accident.
• Request for medical attention: Immediately after you get involved in a slip and fall accident, you should seek medical attention from your physician. The sooner you get medical attention, the better for your health. This makes it easy for a doctor to find proof that you sustained injuries from the accident.
• Reach out to a personal injury attorney: Personal injury claims are tricky, and you need to seek professional help from a personal injury lawyer to succeed. Insurance firms are profit-oriented and are willing to do everything to spend less on paying for your damages. Getting help from an Allentown personal injury lawyer is crucial in getting fair compensation for your injuries. Once you get a competent advocate, he/she can assist you in collecting evidence and assessing all the legal options available for you. Remember to give your attorney all the evidence you have already collected, including the photos, medical report, and witnesses’ details.

Why You Should Seek Help From Us in Your Slip and Fall Accident Case

At Metzger & Kleiner Law, we help you seek compensation for the injuries you sustain while in Pennsylvania. We have the resources and experience to help you in your slip and fall accident case, and our customer support is available 24/7. Feel free to contact us by calling our Philadelphia office at (215) 567-6616 or Lehigh Valley office at (610) 435-7400 for more details regarding our services.