Did you know more than a million individuals visit emergency rooms each year in the US due to slip and fall accidents? Slip and falls are at the top of the list of occupational injuries among the ages of 15 to 24 and are one of the leading causes of workers’ compensation claims.
If you have suffered an injury in a slip and fall accident, you probably want to know if you’re qualified to make a claim for financial compensation. Contact the Irondequoit slip and fall lawyers at Cellino Law to know more about your legal rights and to schedule a free consultation. Our personal injury attorneys have helped many victims of slip and fall accidents recover the compensation they deserved due to the injuries suffered as a result of the negligence of property owners.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents?
Slip and fall accidents can occur anywhere including parking lots, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, shopping malls, nursing homes, hospitals, stadiums, assisted living facilities, theaters, playgrounds, parks, private homes, and more. It is estimated that a majority of the accidents happen due to hazardous walking surfaces. Some of the common causes of slip and fall accidents in Irondequoit include:
- Use of excessive polish or wax leading to a slippery surface
- Not blocking access to floor sections that are considered unsafe and slippery
- Lack of notice or signage when a floor is freshly waxed, damp or slippery
- Keeping debris on stairs
- Broken or missing handrails on escalators or stairs
- Uneven surfaces such as an unmarked change in elevation of flooring
- Damaged sidewalks
- Lack of adequate lighting such as a poorly lit stairwell
- Hazardous conditions on sidewalks
- Loose or worn-out carpeting
- Overcrowded aisles
How Can an Irondequoit Slip and Fall Lawyer Help Me with My Case?
Most people are not aware of their legal rights when it comes to slip and fall injuries. Also, slip and fall injuries can be much more expensive, especially when someone requires long-term physical therapy to deal with the injury. Medical bills can start piling up quickly and the cost of rehabilitation can go through the roof much quicker than you know. You might be unable to go to work and can be in a tough financial situation due to sudden loss of income. In fact, it might be difficult for you to make ends meet due to the slip and fall accident.
You have legal rights and you can get compensation for your injuries. It will not only give you some peace of mind but will also help you take care of your ever-rising financial costs. Keep in mind that the property owner had an obligation and they didn’t live up to their obligation. You suffered an injury due to the failure of the property owner and this is why you are entitled to compensation for losses you have suffered as a result of the slip and fall accident.
Here at Cellino Law, our experienced slip and fall attorneys will help you understand the legal options you have. We will explain the merits of your case and protect your rights. If you would like to pursue compensation, our team of experienced attorneys will work hard to:
- Gather the necessary evidence to prove your case
- Communicate with all the other parties
- Keep you updated on your case
- Negotiate with the insurance company to recover a fair settlement for your injuries
- If necessary, we will take the case to trial but our experience shows that most such cases are settled out of court
We will carefully investigate the accident circumstances to figure out the cause of the accident and who is to blame for your injuries. We will help identify the people or entity responsible for the accident. We will protect you in case the property owners try to shift the blame on you for the slip and fall accident. We will also fight with insurance companies as they try to deny or devalue your claim.
What Steps Can Be Taken to Help a Slip and Fall Case?
If you were hurt in a slip and fall, you should follow these steps to protect your health and help your case for compensation:
Document Everything
If the slip and fall accident happened in a public place, you should immediately take pictures from as many angles as possible. If it happened on cracked pavement, take pictures of the pavement as well as the surrounding areas, the street, and the nearest cross street. Try to identify the unsafe conditions and document them with photos as they are likely to be cleared away quickly.
Seek Medical Attention
It is important for you to see a doctor as quickly as possible after your accident. Some injuries are hidden and might not surface until after a few weeks or days after the accident. This is why you should go to a doctor even if you are not feeling injured. You might not get compensation without a proper medical report outlining your injuries.
Report the Incident
If the accident happened in a business, report the incident to the manager or the business owner. If the accident happened on the property of another person, the incident should be reported to the landlord or the property owner. In case the accident happened on government property, you should inform the agency of the accident.
If possible, try to get the problem addressed right away to prevent injuries to others.
Get Witness Contact Details
It is important to get the contact details of the witness. Get their names and contact details such as email address or phone number even if they did not see the fall as they might be aware of the general conditions in the area.
Contact an Attorney About Your Legal Options
Once you have received the required medical treatment, you should immediately start to look into your legal options. You shouldn’t be on the hook for your medical expenses in case you’re not responsible for your accident. This is why you should begin the process of documenting everything as it will become difficult to track down the evidence with time. Call experienced slip and fall accident lawyers at Cellino Law to schedule a completely free consultation.
How Can a Slip and Fall Case Be Proved?
You’re not going to get compensation for the injuries suffered as a result of your slip and fall accident automatically. It needs to be proven and there are certain things that need to be established in a slip and fall case. These include:
- Existence of dangerous conditions on the property
- The manager of the property owner was aware of the dangerous conditions prior to your accident
- The property owner had sufficient time to remedy the defect but chose not to do so
- The property owner did not fix the defect properly leading to your accident
How Is Liability Determined in a New York Slip and Fall Case?
In the state of New York, the pure comparative negligence rule applies when it comes to recovering compensation for injuries suffered due to a slip and fall accident. The property owner or their insurance company might argue that you were also partly responsible for the accident as either you’re not paying attention or you were wearing inappropriate footwear or they took reasonable steps to protect visitors or the dangerous conditions should have been completely obvious or some other reason.
If the case goes to trial and you are found 35% responsible for your slip and fall accident and you are awarded $10,000, the property owner will only be responsible for $6,500.
How Much Is My Slip and Fall Case Worth?
Every case is different. Get in touch with the experienced slip and fall accident attorneys at Cellino Law to schedule a free consultation and to know more about the worth of your case.
What Are the Time Limits for Filing a Slip and Fall Lawsuit?
The statute of limitations states that you have three years from the date of the accident to file a slip and fall lawsuit. It is important to keep in mind that in some cases, the time limit is only 90 days. It is important to meet this deadline as you might not be allowed to file a lawsuit after this deadline.
This is why you should get in touch with experienced slip and fall attorneys at Cellino Law as quickly as possible after your accident to know everything you should know about such deadlines and the steps to take after the accident in order to recover maximum compensation for your injuries.
Contact Cellino Law Today
A slip and fall accident can happen at any time and to anyone. While most people suffer negligible injuries as a result of slip and fall but sometimes, the injuries are too severe and require long-term medical care. If you or your loved one has been injured due to the negligent actions of others and if you want to recover compensation for your medical bills, loss of wages, pain and suffering as well as future loss of income, it is important for you to call an experienced attorney at Cellino Law to know more about your legal rights and to maximize your compensation.
Our team of attorneys will work hard to negotiate a fair settlement for you in order to help you get your life back on track. Do not accept a settlement offer without first consulting with an experienced slip and fall accident lawyer.
Call Cellino Law at (888) 888-8888 to schedule a completely free consultation for discussing your slip and fall accident case.