About 300,000 injuries happen each year in the whole United States and slip and falls account for 10-15% of those who avail of workers’ compensation.
But slips and falls are not exclusive to workplaces. Under the premises liability law, a person owning a land or property may be held responsible for harm or injuries suffered by another who visited their premises.
However, the burden of proving the liability of the land or property owner is up to the plaintiff. It must be shown that the land or property owner is aware of the dangerous conditions and did not act to correct the situation or put up proper signs to warn people of the danger.
Los Angeles slip and fall attorneys can help you in those situations. They can help you find out if there was negligence on the part of the owner and if you are entitled to some compensation.
Get the details of the accident
One thing that can help your attorney to win your slip and fall case are the details relevant to the accident. Even the smallest thing can be extremely helpful in a case. Finding out what you slipped on like a wet surface, a rug or even just the material of the floor is one of the first things asked from you.
The next detail you need to look at is if there were warning signs placed on the vicinity to warn you of the danger. Even if there is a sign, try to remember its description like its location or visibility to people. A warning sign that nobody sees is still a useless sign.
Having witnesses will be extremely helpful to your case. Ask them if they were able to see the accident and if they can stay until you can fill out an accident report. If not, ask them for their contact details so that you can get their account of the accident later on.
Having said that, a slip and fall victim should report their accident as soon as possible. Do not complicate it by adding your comments and complaints. Just put the details that would establish the facts of the accident and the effects of the accident on you. If you have any sprain or broken bones as a result of the accident, put that in the report. Note on the report that you are proceeding to see a doctor as well.
It is imperative for you to go to a doctor, not only for your recovery but for legal matters as well. A doctor’s report can corroborate the injuries you sustained from the slip and fall and will greatly help your attorney.
Besides, not going to a doctor might be used as evidence that the injury is not as severe if you did not need medical attention.
Setbacks
Proving a slip and fall accident as a result of the owners’ negligence can be complicated. A defendant will claim a number of reasons to absolve themselves of responsibility for the accident, including your own negligence to observe or be aware of your immediate surroundings.
The defendant may be free of liability if they are able to establish the following points:
• The defect is very minimal or very trivial to have caused serious harm or injury to the plaintiff
• The defect is very visible to be missed by the plaintiff
• The defendant is not aware of the dangers in the property because of indirect supervision or if these dangers have just recently been discovered
So before filing a case make sure to consult with a good Los Angeles slip and fall attorney to help you establish the grounds for your case.
To help you with personal injury cases such as
slip and fall, consult with our skilled
Los Angeles slip and fall accident attorneys. Visit our website and avail of our free case analysis.
