A person may encounter various types of accidents, however, one of the most common accidents is slip and fall accidents, which can result in benign and sometimes life-threatening and life-changing injuries.
There are many reasons for this. Sometimes, a person may just be clumsy and accidentally trip over something. Sometimes, someone’s injury is a direct result of someone’s negligence.
If you fall into the second group (referring to negligence), then you need to familiarize yourself with all the steps you need to take in these situations, which will help you obtain fair compensation. Want to know more? Scroll down!
The most common causes of slip and fall accidents
As mentioned at the beginning, there are many causes of slip and fall accidents, and below you will see the most common causes. They include the following:
- wet floor
- icy sidewalk
- Slippery liquid, such as grease, on the floor
- Floor is uneven
- Uneven carpet or carpet
- Different distractions on walkways and floors, such as ropes and debris
- Transitions between various flooring types such as tile and carpet
In most cases, someone’s negligence is the result of a slip and fall incident. For example, you go to your favorite coffee shop and accidentally slip and fall because they didn’t shovel the sidewalk. In other words, they should be held accountable.
Consider contacting an attorney
If you decide to file a lawsuit, you will first need to consult with a slip and fall accident attorney before taking any further steps. Why is this so important? According to abogado de resbalon y caida in Miami, this is advisable because they will review your case carefully and tell you exactly what steps you need to take to help you get the compensation you deserve. Don’t forget that these cases are far from simple and easy.
Rather, they are fraught with complexities that cannot be easily navigated unless you are a legal expert. They will help you gather all the correct documents to help you win in court.
You must seek medical assistance
As concluded earlier, slip and fall injuries can vary, meaning some of them may cause serious injuries, while some may be defined as minor injuries that may not even be noticeable.
Regardless of your situation, you need to remember that in both cases, you will need to consult with a healthcare provider, as only they can determine whether your injuries are serious.
Remember, not all injuries cause immediate pain, so it’s crucial to see a doctor immediately after an accident if you want to make sure you’re 100 percent safe.
Things that need to be proven in these types of situations
Those who have experienced such accidents cannot simply accuse someone of being irresponsible and irresponsible. If you want to make a claim then you need to prove someone’s liability. In short, you need to prove the following:
- Liability (responsibility of the defendant): The person operates or owns the premises
- Negligence (notification): The defendant was fully aware of the situation but took no steps to prevent any danger
- Hazardous conditions: Hazardous conditions are not considered minor and benign
- Damage: It is as a result of these dangerous circumstances that the victim suffered serious harm
If you are a guest on someone’s property, you cannot expect that only the owner is responsible. You also need to be careful and make sure you cross the space carefully. If you act recklessly, you cannot expect a positive outcome when filing a lawsuit.
Your responsibility for the accident
As mentioned above, there are certain circumstances in which a home owner should not be held liable. One of the best examples is when you come across a wet floor sign, but you decide to walk over it anyway.
Doing so will certainly increase the likelihood of a slip and fall accident. Whether your role affects your ability to file a claim depends on a variety of circumstances and the state in which you live.
For example, only a few states apply contributory negligence. So what does this mean? This means that even if you contributed only a small amount to the injury you suffered, you still cannot recover any type of compensation for your injuries.
On the other hand, many U.S. states often utilize a more negligent approach. So what does it represent? That said, if you live in a state that abides by this provision, it means you’ll likely be able to file a lawsuit even if you were partially responsible for the injury.
What you need to know, however, is that in these types of situations, the compensation you receive is much less than you think. Additionally, in a pure comparative negligence state, you may be able to recover compensation for this type of accident even if you bear much of the blame for the incident.
In these cases, your compensation will be reduced based on your percentage of fault. Simply put, if you were nearly 90% responsible for an injury that resulted in $10,000 in damages, the other party is obligated to provide you with $1,000 in damages.
When it comes to altered comparative negligence status, you can only recover compensation if another person was at least fifty percent responsible for your pain, suffering, and financial losses. Again, the amount of compensation you will receive will depend on how much you contributed to the accident.
As you can see, slip and fall accidents are complex, which means a lot of thinking and getting the facts right before filing a claim. So if you want to make sure you’re doing everything right, you should start by reading this informative guide.
