Thousands of Americans suffer significant injuries each year after slipping and falling on dangerous surfaces on someone else’s property. However, the property owner may have been negligent if they knew of a problem and did nothing about it.
A severe injury as a result of a slip and fall accident might completely change your life. When you have been injured, you may not only experience physical agony; there may be emotional distress as well. On top of that, medical expenses can accumulate quickly, and your injuries may prevent you from working.
There is a chance that, despite your injuries, the property owner or their insurance provider will refuse to accept accountability for your accident and deny you the financial assistance you require and deserve.
At Fetterman & Associates, PA, we know how stressful it is to be involved in a slip-and-fall accident. If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, we can help you gain compensation. When you need the 5-star rated Port St. Lucie slip and fall lawyer, our personal injury law firm is ready to help.
Do I Need a Port St. Lucie Lawyer for a Slip and Fall Accident?
After a slip and fall, you may require the assistance of a lawyer to assess if your injuries were the result of someone else’s negligence. Contrary to other types of personal injury lawsuits, proving liability in a slip-and-fall case can be challenging. Everyone stumbles from time to time. On the other hand, slip and fall claims need evidence that the injury resulted from unreasonably hazardous conditions.
Our Port St. Lucie slip and fall lawyers have extensive expertise with slip and fall lawsuits and can help injured clients navigate the claims process to pursue the maximum compensation for their losses. We are prepared to go to bat for you to ensure that you receive what is due. This involves putting together a solid legal team and focusing our efforts and energy on every aspect of your case.
How Do You Prove Liability in a Port St. Lucie Slip and Fall?
The premises liability law is a branch of Florida law dedicated to determining who is liable for injuries sustained when someone falls on someone else’s property.
According to this law, a property owner or occupant, such as a store owner, is responsible for keeping a premise or property in a safe condition. Not doing so could lead to liability for injuries sustained by visitors as a consequence of negligent upkeep.
The law divides property visitors into three broad groups. Each category comes with specific duties that the owner or occupant of the property has to do to ensure their safety:
- Invitee: The “invitee” visitor is usually there for business. Shoppers, those who attend public places, and social guests all fall into this category. They are owed the highest duties of care.
- Licensee: A “licensee” is someone who is on the property for their benefit. Licensees are owed a lower level of care than invitees.
- Trespassers: Trespassers, on the other hand, are those who access the property without authorization. They are entitled to the least amount of protection (except if they are children).
Regardless of who enters the property, the owner bears certain legal responsibilities, such as:
- notice of any hazardous conditions, including those that the property owner might be aware of;
- maintaining a reasonable level of safety for the property;
- properly placed “no trespassing” signs or warnings about potentially hazardous or harmful conditions on the property; and,
- not causing an unsafe condition on the premises, whether deliberately or inadvertently.
What Counts as Dangerous Conditions?
A dangerous condition poses an unacceptable risk of injury to individuals on the property and is not an apparent, avoidable hazard. Slip-and-fall incidents are frequently caused by a failure to deal with risks such as:
- Wet floors and walkways
- Icy or snow-covered surfaces
- Cluttered aisles, poorly placed products, or fallen items
- Damaged floors or floor coverings
- Improperly maintained elevators or escalators
- Slippery flooring surfaces
- Inadequate lighting
- Damaged sidewalks
- Ditches or potholes
What To Do After a Slip & Fall Accident
The steps you take after a slip and fall injury are vital to the outcome of your case. The following are a few measures you should take:
- Visit a doctor: Receiving medical attention as soon as possible after being injured serves many purposes. Primarily, you are determining the extent of your injuries and the gravity of the accident. However, this doctor visit also helps you create a timeline that connects your injuries to the accident.
- Examine and take photos of the scene: Accident scenes and hazardous conditions that contributed to the accident have a significant bearing on legal liability. Look around the scene for information as to what happened and determine probable causes of the unsafe condition. If you can, document the accident scene with photographs.
- Identify witnesses: If you have credible witnesses on your side, you will have a far stronger case. Gather the names, addresses, and phone numbers of any witnesses of your fall.
- Make reports: If a slip and fall accident occurs at a business, it is crucial to report the incident as quickly as possible. You should be able to file a written accident report with the company — request a copy of the document.
- Contact a Port St. Lucie slip and fall lawyer: The earlier you begin working with us, the faster we can help you figure out what to do next following a slip and fall injury. We can maximize your compensation while reducing your struggles.
What Type of Damages Can Be Claimed in a Port St. Lucie Slip and Fall Lawsuit?
Regardless of the kind of slip and fall case filed, you can attempt to hold the negligent party financially liable for specific costs, such as:
- Lost wages: This includes lost wages in the present and future.
- Medical expenses: This covers the costs of treating your injuries, such as diagnostics, medical equipment, physician visits, medications, therapy, and transportation to and from appointments.
You can also seek compensation for non-financial damages, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
Call Our Port St. Lucie Slip and Fall Lawyer Today
Accidents involving a slip and fall are frequently caused by someone else’s negligence. Our expert slip and fall injury lawyers have a proven track record of success in representing the interests of those who have been injured in such events. We urge you to contact Fetterman & Associates, PA, right away if you believe you have a claim.
Read Also:
- What to Do If You Slip, Trip, and Fall: 4 Easy Steps
- Can You Sue if You Slipped and Fell in a Retail Store?
- Is The Store At Fault For My Slip And Fall Injury?
- Tips to Avoid a Slip and Fall Injury
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