Slip and fall is a type of personal injury claim that covers accidents where a person slips, trips or and falls because of negligence and lack of proper maintenance on the part of the property owner.
These falls can result from uneven or wet walking surfaces, ice, loose carpeting, uneven stairs, loose objects, poor lighting and unexpected dangers. In Canada, 80% of personal injury falls were suffered by people ages 65 and over in 2009.
Responsibility for these injuries generally rests with the person who occupies the premise where the injured party ran into dangerous conditions. This doesn’t necessarily indicate the property owner: occupants can include tenants, maintenance staff, or someone who was in charge of the property when the accident occurred.
Personal injury claims may be filed to acquire compensation for medial expenses, lost wages, inability to work, and pain and suffering caused by the injury.
Do you have a case? Ask yourself the following questions about your accident before consulting a personal injury law firm:
[strong]Do you have an accident report?[/strong]
Ideally, you should make sure an accident report is filled out immediately after the accident recording what happened, what the conditions that caused the accident were, and who witnessed it. Many businesses will fill these out as a policy, but if they don’t, create a detailed account for yourself and get medical attention immediately to strengthen your personal injury claim. An injury lawyer will be able to do much more for you if they have detailed records.
[strong]Could the occupant have prevented the hazardous condition?[/strong]
If a failure of inspection, maintenance, or lack of proper warning signs caused your fall, the occupant will usually be liable. The exception to this is a hazard the owner didn’t have enough time to notice and correct.
[strong]How responsible were you?[/strong]
The occupant may be liable for hazards on their property, but that doesn’t excuse individuals from exercising proper caution. In personal injury claims, courts establish a liability percentage for each party, which determines the percentage of damages each side must pay.
[strong]Did you fall at work?[/strong]
If your fall occurred at your workplace, you usually can’t sue your employer over it. Work injuries are usually covered in worker’s compensation, and you can consult with a work injury lawyer if you feel you’re not getting the benefits you need.
If you believe you have a strong case for personal injury, consult a personal injury lawyer. Contacting a lawyer as early as possible is the best way to build a solid case and get the compensation you deserve. Ger more information on this topic here.
