LEGAL

What Makes a Slip and Fall Claim Legitimate? Your Questions, Answered

Every year, more than 1 million people take trips to the emergency room following slip and fall accidents. These people suffer everything from concussions to broken bones during these accidents.

If you are ever injured during a slip and fall accident, you might be able to file a personal injury claim and get paid. But to file successfully, you’ll need to prove that you were hurt due to negligence on the part of someone else.

It does not matter if you endured a slip and fall at work or on your own time. You could have a strong enough case to earn a victory in court.

But before you begin trying to find a slip and fall attorney, you need to gather some answers. We share everything you need to know below.

What Is a Slip and Fall?

A slip and fall is exactly what it sounds like: a person slips and falls while they’re at work or on private property.

Generally speaking, most slip and fall accidents occur due to a slippery floor. Water, ice, mud, and more can all cause accidents. But cracks and holes in a floor can also be to blame.

There are plenty of times when you might slip and fall and get right back up without a scratch. But sometimes, you will sustain injuries that require medical attention. These types of accidents can lead to slip and fall claims.

What Makes a Slip and Fall Legitimate?

If you slip and fall at work or inside a business, it does not automatically mean you’re eligible to file a slip and fall claim. Before hiring a slip and fall attorney, you will need to learn what makes this type of claim legitimate.

A slip and fall will only be considered legitimate if:

  • A property owner knew their property was dangerous and didn’t do anything about it
  • A property owner created a dangerous situation on their property and neglected to fix it

Why Is It Sometimes Hard to Prove a Slip and Fall?

Slip and fall accidents happen all the time. But unfortunately, very few people can file slip and fall claims successfully and get their hands on the money they believe they deserve.

Why? Well, it is because it can be challenging for people to prove the legitimacy of slip and fall accidents. They do not always have enough evidence to show that a property owner could have done more to protect them.

For example, if you slip and fall in a grocery store because the floors are wet, there is a chance that they may have only been wet for a few minutes. In this case, the owner of the grocery store may not have had enough time to remedy the situation before your accident. And it will be challenging for a lawyer to prove otherwise.

There have also been many people who have faked slip and fall accidents. These incidents make it harder for people to prove their case, even when an actual slip and fall accident occurred.

What Should You Do If You Feel You Have a Strong Slip and Fall Case?

You should contact an attorney specializing in personal injury cases if you were hurt during a recent slip and fall accident. They can take a closer look at your situation and help you decide if you want to pursue filing a slip and fall claim.

Ideally, you should try to find as much evidence proving that you were hurt due to an unsafe environment as you can. This can include things like photos of the area where you slipped and fell, eyewitness accounts of what took place, and medical bills.

Which Slip and Fall Attorney Should You Hire?

You should not have too much trouble tracking down a slip and fall attorney. Any personal injury attorney should be able to assist you with a slip and fall case.

But if possible, you should avoid hiring just any slip and fall attorney. Instead, you should look high and low for an experienced lawyer who has represented plenty of other people in slip and fall cases.

You should also search for a slip and fall lawyer with an excellent reputation in your community. It will show that you’re going to be in good hands while working with them.

How Much Money Can You Be Awarded for a Slip and Fall?

There is really no telling what you might be awarded if you take a slip and fall case to court and win. You might be eligible to collect anywhere from a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars in some cases.

Your slip and fall attorney will be able to give you a better idea of what you could potentially collect after examining your case.

Speak With a Slip and Fall Lawyer About Your Case Today

The vast majority of slip and fall accidents are minor, resulting in little more than a few bumps and a bruised ego. But some slip and fall accidents can result in serious damage to the person involved.

If you are the victim of an accident of this nature, you should take what you now know about slip and falls and use it to your advantage while building a case. Document everything that happened using video, photos, and eyewitness statements and start interviewing lawyers right away.

Learn more about hiring a personal injury lawyer by browsing the other legal articles on our blog.