Businesses are responsible for keeping their stores and offices safe for customers, but occasionally, accidents can happen. If you slip and fall on something inside a store, the company could potentially be liable for your injuries. It’s easy to fall on ice in a doorway, a water spill without a “Wet Floor” sign, or an item that falls off of shelves into your path. The injuries sustained from falling can sometimes be severe, including bone fractures or even brain damage.
When Should You Ask for Compensation
The circumstances of an accident can determine whether courts will consider that store to be at fault for your injuries. You could potentially sue them to cover your medical bills and other damages. However, for suing them for compensation, businesses need to be at fault. Given below are two conditions.
- If the business should have known about the problem and fixed it, then a slip and fall-compensation need to be made. It is specifically the case of the problem that led to your injury. For example, if they neglect to clean up a spill or fix a tear in the carpeting that made you fall, they might be liable.
- The customer was unable to avoid the unsafe condition. If there was supposed to be a “Wet Floor” sign in place, but it wasn’t put there, then it may be the store’s fault.
Why Hire Slip and Fall Lawyers
However, just because the company or business is at fault doesn’t mean they will compensate you for injuries. If anything, they will try to either make you a lowball offer or deny you any compensation.
This is where a slip-and-fall lawyer comes in. An injury lawyer will consult with you about your case, sometimes even for free. They’ll look at the details and determine whether you might have cause to sue the company. The biggest concern is proving the store’s liability. You must be able to prove that you’re injured and that the store is at fault. Falls can happen very quickly, and you may have to retrace your steps, figuratively speaking, in order to figure out exactly how your accident happened. For example, if you fell down a staircase, was it due to a faulty handrail or uneven steps? If so, the owner of the store or building could be liable. If you fell because you were carrying too many items, distracted by your cell phone, or even because you tripped over your own shoelaces, the court might not rule in your favour. If a slip-and-fall lawyer does decide to take your case, part of their process is visiting the scene of the accident to look at where it happened.
Your slip and fall lawyer will also need to help you gather the needed information that proves you were injured. For example, you should provide medical history through your doctors proving that you were, in fact, treated for an injury from falling. Your lawyer will most likely have assistants that routinely communicate with hospitals and medical offices to obtain this information. In addition to your medical bills, you may be eligible for further damages if your injuries impede you from working. The lawyer can use your employer’s records and your tax forms to prove this.