Questions You and Your Slip-and-Fall Lawyer Should Answer When Suing

Have you been thinking of filing a lawsuit for injuries you sustained after slipping on the floor of a business establishment? If yes, then you need an Oklahoma City slip-and-fall lawyer to help you determine if you have a legitimate case and how to build it.

To do this, you and your lawyer should figure out the best course of action by answering questions that may reveal who is at fault and why.

Who Should You Sue?

Your first instinct may steer you toward suing the store owner. However, this isn’t always the sensible course. You must determine who is mainly responsible for the cause of your slip because it’s possible that the store owner is not liable. The owner may perhaps only be leasing the property.

For example, if you slipped because of water leaking from the ceiling, the accident occurred because of structural damage. If this is the case, you should sue the landlord instead of the store owner because it’s the former’s responsibility to fix structural issues.

On the other hand, it’s the store owner’s fault if you slipped because the floor was just waxed and there were no warning signs alerting the customers about it.

What Made The Floor Slippery?

It’s important to know exactly why you slipped. It could be because of water, ice, snow, lubricants, food debris such as a banana peel, floor wax, or other slippery sources. These details are vital because a jury may find it difficult to believe your claim if you don’t even know why you slipped in the first place.

You can use your shoes or clothing as evidence if they incurred stains or remnants of what made the floor slippery. Photos of the area after you slipped can be useful, too.

Was There a Warning Sign?

Store owners should put up warning signs for wet or slippery floors that can cause an accident. Otherwise, it’s considered negligence, which you can assert in court. The key here is to determine whether the store took all the necessary precautionary measures to avoid accidents.

Questions such as these will help you and your lawyer build a strong case with your personal injury attorney that can prove that the accident wasn’t entirely your fault. You must find the root cause to determine who should take responsibility for it.

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:
Slip and Fall Accidents in Stores and Businesses nolo.com
Slip and Fall Accidents: Proving Fault nolo.com