Peachtree Corners Slip and Fall Lawyer

Common Injuries Suffered in Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents can cause various injuries, ranging from mild to severe. Some of the most common injuries suffered in slip and fall accidents include the following:

Common Slip and Fall Accident Causes

Some of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents include the following:

Who Is Liable in a Slip and Fall Accident?

In most slip-and-fall accident cases, whoever owns the property where the victim fell is liable for injuries. That’s because property owners and managers must ensure their premises are safe for visitors. Under Georgia law, visitors on someone’s property fall under three categories. The level of care a property owner owes a visitor depends on how the visitor is categorized.

The three categories related to slip and fall liability are:

• Invitees – An invitee is a guest who is welcomed or invited onto the property by the owner or manager for a business purpose. Examples of invitees include customers, employees, and contractors. According to Georgia law, property owners must exercise “ordinary care” to prevent invitees from suffering injuries on the premises. This standard means property owners must warn invitees of known hazards and regularly check for and fix other potential dangers.
• Licensees – A licensee has the owner’s permission to be on the property for their own interests. They are often a social guest who visits a property to socialize. Property owners must warn licensees of known hazards on the premises. However, they generally owe licensees a lesser duty of care.
• Trespassers – Anyone on a property without the owner’s permission is a trespasser. Georgia law says trespassers cannot pursue compensation for injuries they suffer on someone’s property unless the property owner purposely injures them. One notable exception to this rule is the attractive nuisance doctrine. This doctrine says property owners may be liable for a trespasser’s injuries if the trespasser is a child, as children are often unable to identify potential dangers.

While the property owner is usually the liable party in a slip and fall case, there are instances where a manager or another party might be responsible for your injuries. A slip-and-fall accident attorney can provide more information on the potentially liable parties in your case.

What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident

The steps you take immediately after a slip and fall accident can significantly impact your case and whether you can seek compensation. Here is what you need to do to protect your rights after a slip and fall accident:

• Notify the property owner or manager about the accident – Make sure they file a written report and keep a copy for your records.
• Document evidence – Physical evidence is crucial in a slip and fall accident case. You want to take pictures before the property owner can clean up the scene or remove evidence. Get pictures of your injuries, the location where you fell, and any visible hazards in the area.
• Look around for eyewitnesses or nearby security cameras – Eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage can help your case if the property owner denies liability for your injuries. Write down the names and contact information of any eyewitnesses and the location of any cameras you see.
• Seek medical attention – Slip and fall accidents can cause severe injuries, and the effects are not always immediately apparent. Waiting too long to see a doctor could worsen your injuries or lead to additional complications. Your doctor will diagnose your injuries and add them to your medical record, which could be substantial evidence in your case.
• Save documentation of your injuries and other losses – Doctor’s bills, invoices, receipts, and other paperwork can help prove the accident’s financial costs. Without these documents, you might have trouble collecting maximum compensation for your injuries.
• Stay off social media – Insurance companies have been known to find claimants’ social media accounts and use posts and photos to deny or minimize claims. The best way to protect yourself after a slip and fall is to stay off social media entirely until your case concludes.
• Do not speak to any insurance companies – The property owner’s insurance company will likely contact you and offer a quick settlement to make your case go away. You must pursue every dollar you can after a slip and fall accident, and a casual remark to an insurer could jeopardize your personal injury case.
• Hire a slip-and-fall accident lawyer – You have enough to worry about after a slip-and-fall accident without the hassle of a legal case. A Peachtree Corners slip-and-fall accident attorney can communicate with the insurance companies on your behalf while you focus on your medical treatment. Remember that Georgia law gives you two years from the date of a slip and fall accident to file a lawsuit, so you want to contact an attorney immediately.

Compensation Available in Slip and Fall Cases

The specific amount you could seek after a slip and fall accident varies from case to case. However, your compensation could include money for the following losses:

• Medical expenses related to the accident, including doctor’s appointments, transportation to your appointments, prescription drugs, hospital stays, physical therapy, and medical equipment
• Lost wages while you heal from your injuries
• Reduced future earnings due to a permanent injury or disability
• Physical pain and suffering from your injuries
• Emotional distress
• Lower quality of life

How Long Do Slip and Fall Settlements Take?

No two slip-and-fall accidents are alike, so how long a slip-and-fall claim takes to settle depends on several factors. One crucial factor is the extent of your injuries and financial losses from the accident. The more severe your injuries, the more costly medical treatment becomes. If you pursue more compensation, it is more likely that the insurance company will fight your claim, which could make your case take longer.

The length of a slip-and-fall case will also depend on the available evidence. If the evidence clearly shows the property owner or another party is liable for your injuries, your case may resolve more quickly. But if the evidence is inconclusive or has been lost or destroyed, it could take more time to build a strong case in your favor.

A slip-and-fall case that isn’t settled outside of court may go to trial, which can significantly impact the time it takes to resolve. Preparing for a trial can take months, and the trial itself can be lengthy. If you can settle your case and avoid going to trial, you will likely recover compensation sooner. Working with a slip-and-fall accident attorney with experience negotiating with insurers for maximum compensation can lower the time it takes to resolve your case.

How a Slip and Fall Accident Attorney Can Help with Your Case

Slip and fall accident cases can be time-consuming and complex. If you were injured in a slip and fall accident, you should hire an attorney to handle the legal details so that you can focus on healing. Our Peachtree Corners slip and fall injury lawyers can help with your case by doing the following:

• Gathering evidence to identify liable parties and build a solid case in your favor
• Documenting all your injuries and financial losses from the accident to help you seek maximum compensation
• Taking care of all the legal paperwork and filing an insurance claim on your behalf
• Negotiating with the insurance companies for a fair settlement
• Taking your case to trial if the insurance company will not negotiate in good faith