What Are Slip Fall Accidents
February 25, 2015
What are slip & fall accidents?
At Goodrich and Geist, we often receive inquiries asking us to explain the laws behind slip & fall accidents. With winter knocking on our door, days shortening, and patches of ice already covering parts of some roads and sidewalks, we have decided to give our readers a brief overview of what we mean when we say “slip and fall accident.”
Basically, if you have an accident on some person’s or business’s property that isn’t properly maintained, then you may have a lawsuit against that person, their homeowner’s insurance, a landlord, or whatever entity owns the property. If your slip and fall was caused by ice, grease, or garbage, or if the sidewalk was not maintained and that caused you to fall and get injured, you may have a personal injury claim. If you should win, your claim would compensate you for your pain, suffering, time off from work, and medical expenses.
What should I take into consideration with slip and fall accidents?
There are several things to thing about if you are in a slip and fall accident. First, you and your attorney must be able to prove that the owner of the property where you were hurt did not take responsibility for the maintenance of the property. If there has been recent snow fall or a bad rain storm, the property owner needs to be given a reasonable amount of time to clear the area before they are considered fully responsible. Also, if you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol and you fall and hurt yourself, then it would be much more difficult to prove owner negligence.
What am I eligible for if I am injured in a slip and fall accident?
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, you will be eligible to receive compensation for attorney’s costs, property damage (such as a broken mobile phone, glasses, etc.), potential loss of future income, pain, suffering, medical bills (including therapy), and lost wages for your current job.
If you have more questions about slip & fall accidents, call the Pittsburgh personal injury attorneys at Goodrich and Geist at 800-806-2456 or 412-837-8426 for a free consultation.
