Unfortunately, many individuals have suffered serious injuries because they have either tripped and fell or slipped and fell. In many of those settings you may be able to have the property owner pay for your medical bills, your loss of earnings if you have to miss work, and for the pain and suffering you go through because of your injury. Many of these injuries sustained because of a trip or slip and fall can be life changing. In many settings we blame ourselves for slipping or tripping and falling, and you may be right about being responsible for your own fall. However, there are also many scenarios where a property owner did not maintain their property in a safe manner, which brought about your fall. That is why it is best to consult with an attorney to see if you have any recourse against the property owner for your injuries.
Our office has represented many individuals who have tripped and fell over a change in elevation while walking on a sidewalk. In those cases, we need to make a determination if the change in elevation fits within the case law to warrant whether or not you may have a case. We also need to determine who is the proper entity to sue, is it the homeowner, business owner or the city who maintains the sidewalk.
If you have been injured because of tripping over a change in elevation on a sidewalk, it is advisable to get photographs of the area, which caused your fall. Typically, on the day you fall you are suffering too much to get any photos, but when possible return to the scene to obtain photos. Also, you can simply contact our office and we will meet you at the scene where the fall had occurred, so that we can make a decision as to whether or not you have a valid claim. If we determine you have a case, we hire the necessary experts for you.
Slip and falls can occur in different settings, such as restaurants, etc., with many of those happening in a grocery store. In many of those settings, the store has not maintained the store in a safe manner. Most stores now have surveillance cameras of their premises and we get those tapes from the day of your fall to assist us in determining why you fell and what had the store done that day to keep it safe. It is always helpful to know what caused you to slip and fall. Was it a piece of lettuce, spilled liquid or exactly what was on the floor to cause you to slip? Maybe you or someone else had the opportunity to take a photo of what caused you to fall.
The grocery stores will typically try to tell you that they aren’t responsible for your fall. But when you think about it, you have been walking around for many years and are not in the habit of simply slipping and falling for no reason.
If you have been involved in an accident, please contact our Carlsbad personal injury lawyers for a free legal consultation, to find out about your rights. There is no fee for the initial consultation and no fee will be payable unless we are successful in obtaining compensation for you.