Virginia slip-and-fall accident attorneys

Why are slip-and-falls dangerous?

We all fall at some point. So we may think of slip-and-falls as minor accidents that are easy to shake off. Not so. When you slip, your feet usually fly out in front of you, causing you to fall backward. By contrast, when you trip, you will usually fall forward and then can catch yourself using your hands. However, when you slip, there’s typically nothing you can do to slow or stop your fall. This leaves you slamming into the ground, hard.

When you hit the ground after a slip-and-fall, the brunt of the impact is to your back, neck, and head. With forceful falls, particularly on hard surfaces, such as linoleum, tile, or concrete, that impact can lead to serious injuries, such as:

• Brain damage
• Skull fractures
• Spine injuries
• Broken bones
• Nerve damage
• Shoulder dislocation
• Paralysis

None of those are minor injuries. Each could take months of rest and treatment to fully heal from, and many can leave you with lasting disabilities that have a severe impact on your life. After going through a serious slip-and-fall in Virginia, always seek medical attention – because the shock and adrenaline from the accident may mask your pain or other signs of injury. If you have hurt yourself, and someone tries to tell you it was “just a fall,” remember how debilitating these injuries can be.

Where do most slip-and-falls happen?

Almost any surface can become slippery under the wrong circumstances. Even rough concrete can become iced over in the winter. In our experience, most slip-and-fall accidents happen in a few primary places, including:

• Businesses with wet linoleum or tile floors
• Sidewalks and roads that have not been properly cleared of ice
• Wet stairs without adequate handrails
• Loose carpeting in offices, business, or homes
• Pool areas that have not been dried or fitted with slip-resistant materials
• Objects left on the floor that create trip hazards

In most of these scenarios, you are not at fault for slipping. When visiting another party’s property, you expect to be reasonably safe, and that includes from slipping hazards. The court agrees, and so long as you were lawfully on the property, you may be able to hold the property owner liable for your injuries.

What does lawfully mean in this case? Well, to hold a property owner liable following a slip-and-fall, you must be either an invitee or a licensee: someone who was asked to visit, such as a family member or friend, or someone who was on a property to conduct business. If you are a trespasser, or someone who was on private property without permission, the court will likely decide that the property owner was not responsible for your injuries.

What’s the law behind a “slip-and-fall” claim?

Civil lawsuits dealing with this type of accident fall under the legal concept of “premises liability.” Premises liability means that a property’s owner or manager has a “duty of care” to make sure the property is kept in a reasonably safe condition. If the property owner’s or caretaker’s negligence has allowed an unsafe condition, and that unsafe condition has caused a fall that resulted in your injury, then he is legally responsible for the cost of your injury.

For instance, let’s say you go to a supermarket to pick up some groceries. Store employees have just mopped the floor, but they haven’t barricaded the area or put up “Warning: Wet Floor” signs. If you slip on the freshly mopped floor, that supermarket could be held responsible if you’re hurt.

What can I be compensated for?

When you are filing a claim, the first step to take is determining what compensation you are owed. This can help you avoid lowball offers, and successfully demand appropriate compensation.

What you can claim depends on how bad your injuries are and how they have affected your life. You may receive compensation for any or all of the following:

• Current and future medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Physical therapy
• Special equipment you need during recovery (crutches, wheelchairs, special beds, etc.)
• Household and vehicle modifications to accommodate your needs (wheelchair ramps, lifts, etc.)
• Property damage (broken watch, glasses, etc.)
• Permanent injury or disability
• Lost wages
• Loss of job or ability to do your job
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Loss of a limb

Remember, compensation is not just meant to cover your expenses, but also to make up for the pain and suffering you went through. Serious accidents are traumatic, and they can leave you in an emotionally fragile state. Compensation should pay for your bills, and leave you enough money to rest while you fully recover.

In the tragic event that a slip-and-fall took the life of someone you loved, your family can sue for wrongful death, which will allow you to claim additional compensation for funeral expenses and loss of benefits.

Do I need a Virginia slip-and-fall lawyer?

The person or company responsible for your injuries may not have hurt you on purpose, but you still need to have your bills paid. No one deserves to pay for a mistake that wasn’t their fault. Of course, we know that nobody wants to sue, and in an ideal world, nobody would have to. But the negligent party, and their insurance company, should rightfully pay for your injuries if they are responsible.

This is what we at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys do: we take care of our Virginia neighbors after they’ve been hurt. We offer expert, compassionate advice. To find out how we can help you, call our Virginia premises liability attorneys at  (804) 413-6777 or toll-free (855) 781-6777 for a free consultation. Remember, you don’t pay to talk to us. And if we handle your case, you don’t pay, unless we get payment for you.