Slip and fall accidents can come seemingly out of nowhere. One moment, you’re walking on ground or floor that you assumed to be safe. The next, you’re seriously injured. If you’ve been involved in a slip and fall accident, you may need experienced legal representation to help you through the process of filing insurance claims and potentially bringing a legal action for damages. Contact the team at the Hughey Law Firm today at (843) 881-8644 to learn more about how we may be able to help.
Millions Recovered for Our Clients
At Hughey Law Firm, we’ve worked on a wide range of personal injury cases, including slip and fall accidents. We have recovered more than $115 Million for clients who have suffered serious injuries. Of course, every case is different and there is never a guarantee of recovering money after an accident. At the Hughey Law Firm, however, we fight to give our clients the best chance of receiving the compensation they deserve for their injuries.
Slips and Falls Cause Terrible Injuries
Slip and fall accidents can occur for a variety of reasons—most commonly because of slick, wet floors. Slipping and falling can cause:
- Broken bones;
- Sprains and strains;
- Lacerations;
- Head trauma, including traumatic brain injury; and
- Spinal cord damage.
Seeing a doctor as soon as possible after your slip and fall accident will help diagnose and assess the full extent of your injuries.
Property Owner Responsibility
Owners of property that is open to the public generally have a duty of care to ensure the safety of visitors to the property. That means, among other things, keeping floors clear of potential hazards, posting adequate warnings of known dangers, and providing assistive features, such as guardrails and handrails, to help prevent injuries. When property owners fail to meet that duty, they may be liable for any injuries that occur as a result.
Property owners may not be the only parties legally responsible for causing slip-and-fall accidents, however. Individuals who create a hazardous condition on someone else’s property may face liability. So, too, might manufacturers of floor coverings, surfaces, or assistive features that fail to perform as expected under normal use, resulting in a fall and injuries.
What Damages Can Victims Recover After Slip and Fall Accidents?
In order to recover damages after a slip and fall accident, it is usually necessary to show a significant injury or harm. But, that doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily know whether a fall caused a serious injury right away. Even if you’re back on your feet in a second or two, you could find later that you’ve sustained a head, neck, or back injury, for example. The best course of action after a fall is to get checked out by a medical professional right away, even if you think you’re “fine.”
If you are seriously injured by your slip and fall accident, there are several common types of damages you may be entitled recover. Consulting an attorney is the most effective way to learn which damages may apply in the case of your accident.
- Medical expenses: If your slip and fall accident results in injuries requiring medical care, it may not take long for the bills to start piling up. You may need to pay for a hospital stay as well as long-term care, including physical therapy. Even when your health insurance pays some of these expenses, you still may end up with a hefty bill.
- Lost wages: Did your slip and fall accident cause you to miss time at work as you were recovering from your injuries? If so, your lost wages may be included as part of the damages you are entitled to recover. You may also be able to recover damages for lost earning potential if a permanent injury causes you to be unable to work in your former capacity following your slip and fall accident.
- Pain and suffering: Significant pain and suffering following your slip and fall accident may also constitute an element of damages you can recover for injuries you sustained.
Your Attorney Must Prepare for a Fight
There are several strategies the parties who bear legal responsibility for causing your slip and fall accident may use to try and avoid fault.
- Denying liability. Property owners or managers may try to prove that they took the necessary steps to prevent visitors from being injured. They may deny that there was any reason for you to have fallen or that they failed to put up appropriate signs to warn guests of slick floors.
- Offering a low settlement. Shortly after your accident, you may receive a settlement offer from an insurance company. Often, this settlement offer will be inadequate to cover your medical expenses, your lost wages, and the pain and suffering you experienced as a result of your accident.
If you’re struggling in the aftermath of a slip and fall accident, working with an attorney can be an effective tool to help you get the compensation you deserve. An experienced slip and fall accident attorney should be able to advise you about who may bear legal responsibility for your injuries, and about the best means of seeking payment from those parties or their insurers.
Get the Legal Help You Need After Your Summerville Slip and Fall Accident
Having a knowledgeable slip and fall attorney on your side is usually a vital part of any strategy to recover compensation for your injuries. At Hughey Law Firm, we offer all of our potential clients a free consultation to discuss the circumstances of their accidents and injuries. In slip and fall cases, we’re able to represent clients on a contingent fee basis, in which we only receive fees out of any settlement or judgment we recover in our client’s favor. Many of our clients appreciate this fee arrangement because it does not burden them with extra expenses at a time when they’re busy recovering from slip and fall injuries.
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, don’t wait to get the legal help you need. Contact the Hughey Law Firm today or call (843) 881-8644 to schedule your free consultation.