Slip and Fall Lawyer on How to Deal with Filing for Compensation and Damages
Accidents happen in life, and that’s a fact. When accidents result in serious physical injury, property damage, or even fatalities, one should become more concerned. If it’s directly caused by another person, then it is easier to assign accountability. But in some cases, there is no one individual that you can clearly pin the blame on because nobody else was there when it happened.
This latter scenario is best exemplified by slips and falls. It happens rather often, such as in office hallways, construction works in the road, and maybe even right inside somebody’s backyard. The victim loses footing and balance, and finds himself splayed out on the floor in pain.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slips and falls are dangerous because of the many possible consequences that one incident can lead to. For older people, for example, bones are prone to cracks and breaks. What would be a simple tumble for a healthy young individual can render them grievously injured or, worse, permanently immobile.
Slips and falls are also risky because of the trauma that various parts of the body can receive. Broken ankles or wrists are not the only concern here, but really serious ones like spinal injuries. In some unfortunate cases, it can even be a hard knock on the head, which can result in internal bleeding, among others.
Because of the wide range of consequences resulting from a simple slip and fall, it is important to seek the services of a slip and fall lawyer when seeking compensation. Proving liability of an individual who was not in the scene of the accident will definitely be challenging, but with the help of an experienced professional, it should still be possible.
In a slip and fall accident, it’s not just the intention or the motive of the alleged offender that must be carefully considered, but also any negligence on their part. If, for example, you tripped on a rake lying about in your neighbor’s backyard where a gathering is taking place, what should be assessed is the preventive measures the owner of the place could have taken to prevent the mishap.
Slippery floors in public spaces such as offices are among the most common causes of slip and fall injuries. Just because the floor was wet, however, does not mean that the company is automatically liable for your injury. You have to be able to show that there was no indication that the floor is wet, such as a sign warning of the hazard.
What makes slip and fall cases interesting is how you must also prove that you did exercise due diligence on your part to avoid getting hurt. Using the same wet floor example above, you must prove that you were walking at a reasonable pace and that you weren’t distracted by some other task. Otherwise, this distraction could be seen as a factor contributing to your accident. In this case, the liability becomes shared between you and the property owner.
Comparative Fault
Sharing the liability with the other party puts you under the purview of comparative fault laws. Essentially, what this means for you is that the liability of the other party and yours will both be computed, and then your cost of liability will be deducted to the compensation that you should get from the other party.
If you want to build a strong case so that you can pin absolute liability on the other party, make sure to get an experienced legal professional. For more information contact one of our highly qualified Attorneys in the Oklahoma City area call (405) 253-4478 or our main office in Ardmore (580) 798-0447.
Sources:
Proving Fault in Slip and Fall Accidents. FindLaw.
What You Must Prove to Win a Slip and Fall Injury Claim. AllLaw.