Slip and fall accidents are some of the most common causes of accident-related mortality in the United States. These accidents result in millions of hospital emergency visits annually, leaving victims with medical bills and incidental expenses that can be difficult to pay even with good health insurance. Besides their toll on personal finances, these accidents can result in physical injuries that can incapacitate an individual temporarily or permanently, depending on their severity and the circumstances of the incident.
If you slipped and fell on someone’s property due to no fault of your own and incurred serious physical injuries, it is natural to wonder if you can pursue legal damages against the negligent party. To claim compensation for your legal damages, you can sue the landlord after a slip and fall accident. Obtaining said compensation depends upon the proof of damages incurred and the negligence of a property owner or landlord. Filing a personal injury lawsuit can help cover most of your medical expenses and help you remain stable financially as you focus on your recovery.
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Why Slip and Fall Accidents Occur
Most slip and fall accidents occur due to unattended or unnoticed public safety hazards like slippery surfaces, open potholes, loose carpeting, broken flooring, uneven stair steps, missing handrails, and unattended trash posing a tripping hazard, and more. These hazards are usually preventable with regular safety checks and periodic property maintenance. Failure to address these hazards can result in serious slip and fall accidents that can even result in death.
Seeking Legal Action
If you suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident as a result of a property owner or landlord’s negligence, you can seek legal action against them in the form of a personal injury lawsuit. A personal injury lawsuit can help you recover damages that directly or indirectly result from the accident, including medical or surgical treatment expenses, lost wages (both past and future), incidental expenses, costs of ongoing physical or occupational therapy, and more.
Personal injury lawsuits, including slip and fall cases, are usually governed by the premises liability law, which states that all property owners owe their visitors or patrons a duty of care. By not noticing or failing to take prompt action against the threat to public safety present at their property, they violate this duty of care, which is an action that can hold them liable in a court of law.
To obtain financial compensation through a slip and fall lawsuit, you have to prove negligence on the part of the landlord or property owner. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, more than one party might be responsible for your slip and fall injuries, and proof of negligence has to be provided against each responsible party along with proof of your financial and physical damages.
Conclusion
If you were injured in a slip and fall accident on a property due to someone else’s negligence, you can sue the negligent party for the compensation of your legal damages. If it is proved that your incident occurred due to the landlord’s fault for not taking timely action against safety hazards, you can successfully recover financial compensation to help pay your treatment expenses and compensate for lost wages, incidental expenses, etc.
