Slips and falls can be painful and can even cause internal and long-lasting injuries. The harsh reality is most people face a slip and fall accident at some point in their lives. The worst thing is they are not solely responsible for the accident.
These accidents can happen to anybody at any time. In the majority of cases, people take these accidents lightly without considering their consequences. The truth is when you fall, it is not only your fault.
Major Causes of Slip and Falls:
The law requires buildings, walkways, homes, and parking lots to be adequately maintained so that people can access them safely. This is the owner’s responsibility, which is known as premises liability.
When a person slips, trips, and falls down on someone else’s property, it is termed as a slip and fall accident. These can happen for a number of reasons, some related to negligence and some not.
For example, slip and fall accidents are common in schools, where a child is likely to be clumsy or lose their balance. However, the child is not always solely responsible. You should know that the school has the duty and responsibility to keep the premises safe for students.
These accidents may also happen for another reason, including those listed below.
- Wet surfaces
- Snow on the ground
- Oily surfaces
- Spills or debris on the floor
- Torn or loose carpeting
- Damaged floors
- Loose carpets
This list is not exclusive, but these are the most common reasons slip and fall accidents occur. Whatever the reason, if you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident you can connect with an experienced San Antonio Slip and Fall Lawyer. They can assist and determine if someone else’s negligence caused the injuries. Your attorney can stand by your side every step of the way.
Injuries That You Are Likely to Face
Although slip and fall injuries are usually temporary, sometimes they can lead to severe internal injuries if not treated appropriately. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), estimates that one out of every five falls creates severe injuries, like traumatic brain injury or broken hip. This figure does not include any of the countless small injuries, nor does it account for the medical expenses people may incur after slipping or tripping outside of the home.
Serious injuries like internal brain and spinal cord injuries are severe and are hard to detect. Unfortunately, every year these accidents contribute to many of these types of damages. Some of the more severe injuries caused by a fall can include:
- tissue injuries
- brain injuries
- spinal cord injuries
- back injuries
- cuts and abrasions
- internal organ injuries
- bone fractures
In addition to the injuries listed here, many more known and unknown injuries can occur. For this reason, it is important to consult with a doctor as soon as possible after suffering a fall. This way, you can receive all the necessary tests to get a clear diagnosis and start the healing process.
Essential Steps After Facing a Slip and Fall Accident
Some of the above-listed injuries may require extra attention and long-term medical treatment. They may also require considerable time and care for recovery. If someone’s negligence has caused another person to suffer from severe injuries, it is only fair that they bear the cost of damages and treatments.
If you have ever suffered a fall on someone else’s premises, you should take the following steps:
- Report the accident to the owner of the property, explaining to them how the accident happened.
- Document everything related to the accident, including witnesses’ names, phone numbers, and email addresses.
- Visit a doctor and do all the tests and reports.
- Contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss the case.
If you face any injuries on someone else’s property, you should seek legal help. If your accident was not your fault and you can prove it, you could potentially recover some amount of compensation.
Taking these steps could be beneficial to your case later on, as the witness statements and medical reports pertaining to your injuries can be used as evidence.
Compensation You Can Expect
Suppose you or someone in your care has suffered a slip and fall due to a property owner’s negligence. In that case, you could claim various types of compensation for the injuries and suffering. Compensation can include, but is not restricted to:
- Medical bills
- Income loss
- Mental anxiety and trauma
- Physical pain and cuts
- Loss of quality of life
- Household chores
- Transportation costs
However, you can only recover compensation when you can prove that someone other than you is responsible for your accident. It can be complex to prove the negligence of others in these cases. To prove a property owner’s negligence, you will need compelling evidence to show they were at fault. Winning a personal injury claim is not an easy task, as it requires a lot of expertise to prove another’s fault and your innocence.
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, you can contact us for a free legal consultation as soon as you are ready. We will evaluate the case and determine the best possible legal options. Our team is trained and experienced in handling a wide array of slip and fall incidents.