Every year, people fall and injure themselves, often through no fault of their own. Naturally, we expect controlled environments to be safe and have dry, tidied, and even walkways with good lighting to lower the likelihood that we will fall. In this case, when the flooring is unsafe, we are completely unprepared for it, and so disaster strikes. Even though there are many lawsuits against negligent property owners and businesses that did not do all that was possible to prevent their guests from sustaining injuries, it appears many are still making the same mistakes. This is because it is cheaper for individuals and businesses to do the bare minimum to ensure their guests’ and customers’ safety. Consequently, innocent victims slip and fall in situations that easily could have been avoided.
In Fort Myers, property owners are responsible for ensuring that their properties are always in a safe condition for any visitors, whether this property is a grocery store, office building, parking lot, or elsewhere. When they fail to meet this standard, accidents can happen.
If you have fallen in someone’s property because you slipped on spilled liquid or any other substance, then your fall maybe someone else’s fault, and you might be able to claim damages from the party who was liable. Our premises liability attorneys at The Law Place can work alongside you to help determine whether you are entitled to compensation and who was at fault. We can then build a strong case for your lawsuit and fight for the justice that you deserve. So, call us today at (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation and receive no-obligation legal advice. All you need to do is reach out to us to allow us the chance to help you and give you the best chance at receiving the financial compensation that you deserve.
Florida’s Duty of Care
Property owners have a duty to ensure their property remains in a reasonably safe condition for everyone who enters in Florida. Florida statute categorizes victims in the following ways, and the owner owes them a specific duty of care based on this classification:
- Invitees – People who have the landowner’s permission to enter the property and therefore are owed the highest duty of care from the property owner.
- Licensees – Someone who has been allowed by the property owner to enter the property but is going there for their own purposes.
- Trespassers – People who do not have the owner’s permission to be on the property. These people are owed the least amount of reasonable care by the property owner, but, in some cases, a negligent party can still be held liable for a trespasser’s injuries.
These rules can seem very complex and complicated, as can the Florida legal system entirely, especially for people who do not often have to deal with it directly. Therefore, it’s important for you to contact a slip and fall lawyer who can help guide and support you through your lawsuit. At The Law Place, our personal injury attorneys have a vast wealth of knowledge that has come from working many cases just like yours and working them tirelessly to ensure that their clients get the best outcome possible. You deserve justice, and we are ready to fight on behalf of you, so contact us today for a free consultation.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Fort Myers, FL
Slip and fall accidents are very common, with an average of three million older people needing treatment in emergency departments for fall injuries each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, there are certain factors that can make it even more likely for you to experience a fall that was not your fault. Below are just some of the many reasons that you may fall:
- Spilled foods or liquids, such as oil, grease, and water.
- Recently waxed floors.
- Uneven surfaces, including stairs, walkways, parking lots, and crumbling concrete.
- Potholes.
- Inadequate lighting.
- Loose rugs.
- Unsafe stair rails, balconies, or railings.
- Tripping hazards placed in walkways.
On top of this, the residents in Fort Myers, and elsewhere in Florida, have to worry about slippery floors more than the average American. Due to the above-average, heavy rainfall experienced throughout the years, water gets tracked into businesses to create a slipping hazard for everyone who is entering and can make the floor near entrances a particular problem. While this hazard is caused by the rain, it is still the duty of the business owner to mop up puddles, put mats at each entrance and exit to reduce the tracking in of water, and put up signs warning people of the slippery floor.
While everyone normally looks where they’re walking, many dangers are hidden, especially if you are chatting with friends, eating, or otherwise distracted, and so there’s a chance you may not see a hazard ahead. Regardless of this, and whether or not you were paying attention, it’s never your fault if you slipped on something that should have been cleared away, and the owner can still be held liable. If you’ve been injured on a property, then the property owner has likely failed in their duty of care, and therefore owe you compensation for your injuries.
To find out for sure whether you are owed compensation, you should contact our law firm to speak to an experienced slip and fall lawyer from Fort Myers, so call The Law Place today to schedule a free consultation.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. Injuries Often Sustained in Slip and Fall Accidents in Fort Myers, FL
Slip and fall injuries are caused by people slipping unexpectedly on a surface that has become hazardous often because of a transitory substance spilled onto the floor. Most people avoid injuring themselves whenever possible, of course, and so this means that the hazardous condition is usually unexpected. Victims lose their balance quickly and have little to no time to react beyond their basic instinct. This often means that the injuries sustained in slip and fall accidents are often quite severe as there would have been no opportunity to break their fall. Below are some of the most common injuries caused by slipping and falling:
- Head trauma, including concussions.
- Neck injuries, including fractures and sprains.
- Back injuries, including paralysis.
- Spinal cord injuries.
- Broken bones and fractures, often in the arms, wrists, ankles, and legs.
- Pelvis and hip injuries.
- Soft tissue injuries.
- Nerve damage.
- Cuts, bruises, burns, sprains, and lacerations.
- And, in rare, serious cases, wrongful death.
Slip and fall accidents could also lead to emotional distress and mental trauma.
If you have sustained any type of injury or impact from a Fort Myers slip and fall accident, then we highly recommend that you get in touch with a law firm to schedule a free consultation. All of our premises liability lawyers at The Law Place are experienced in dealing with all kinds of slip and fall accident cases, and so you know that they will be able to determine and fight for the maximum amount of compensation that you deserve. So contact us now to schedule a free case evaluation with an established Fort Myers personal injury lawyer that you can trust!
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Common Ways That Property Owners Cause Slip and Fall Accidents in Fort Myers, FL
It is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that their property is safe for visitors and guests and that there are limited hazards around the premises. However, if a property owner is negligent, then the property may not be safe, or there may not be adequate signs or information warning visitors about the unsafe condition/s. Negligence may be present if the following situations apply to your case:
- Failing to clean up wet floors.
- Failing to provide warnings of a slippery floor.
- Dangerous, unstable, and/or uneven floors.
- Hazardous objects and items on the floors.
- Failing to cover wires on the floor.
Anyone can slip and fall on a surface that is not properly maintained or managed. Even if the floor is dangerous and slippery because of the weather, it is still the owner’s responsibility to notify guests, customers, and/or pedestrians of the danger posed. If a property owner fails to maintain the floors or properly warn visitors of the danger, then they could be held liable and are subject to damages.
You could be left suffering from extensive injuries if you slip and fall. Some of these injuries may require expensive medical procedures and impact your ability to work. If you have been involved in a slip and fall accident, where you were injured from falling over when it was not your fault, then you may deserve compensation. You should call The Law Place today to discuss the details of your specific case with an experienced and skilled Fort Myers slip and fall lawyer.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. What to Do After Being Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident in Fort Myers, FL
If you have been involved in a slip and fall accident, then you must take immediate action to ensure your safety and to raise the likelihood of you winning the financial compensation that you deserve. Below are some of the steps that we highly recommend you follow if you have been involved in such an accident.
- Seek medical attention – This will, of course, help you immediately as it is important to get medical attention for any injury, but this will also create documentation about your accident and the injuries it caused, which will be incredibly useful to use for your claim.
- Call 911 – While this may appear to be an extreme step, it is important to get a police report, which will accurately document the accident scene and exactly what happened. The police will also be able to interview any witnesses to the slip and fall.
- Take pictures – If possible, you should take pictures of the accident scene and your injuries. You should especially try to take detailed pictures of exactly what caused your accident, such as a slippery surface or uneven area.
- Talk to the property owner – You should give notice to the property owner, but it is not necessary to give them a lengthy or detailed account of what happened.
- Don’t speak to their insurance company – Their insurance company will want to speak to you as soon as they can to take a recorded statement, and then use it to bully you into settling for less than what you deserve. You should speak to a personal injury lawyer first to help you avoid making mistakes when you do speak with the insurance company, and to make sure that you will not get taken advantage of.
- Call The Law Place – You should contact The Law Place as soon as possible to speak to a Fort Myers slip and fall lawyer free of charge.
- Keep important documentation – It is important to store the documents of anything and everything relating to your accident. You should keep medical bills, copies of your medical records, journal your pain and discomfort. This will all help your claim when moving forward.
Most importantly, however, is that you never admit fault, even partial fault, to anyone. Dealing with your own lawsuit by yourself can be difficult and confusing, and so you should get in touch with an experienced Fort Myers slip and fall lawyer today to receive no-obligation legal advice and guidance specific to your case. So, call The Law Place today to schedule a free case evaluation.
Damages Often Recovered in Slip and Fall Accident Cases in Fort Myers, FL
At The Law Place, our Fort Myers slip and fall lawyers have a combined 75 years of experience in dealing with the Florida legal system, and so you know that they will be able to get you the maximum amount of financial compensation possible for your injuries. Therefore, if you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall, then you should contact The Law Place today. Our attorneys understand that you are likely having to not only deal with the injuries and trauma caused but also with an unfair amount of financial burdens. Once our law firm has established the negligent party for your accident and gathered enough evidence to prove this, they will be able to determine the number of losses you have experienced and deserve compensation for. The Law Place often succeeds in recovering compensation for the following in Fort Myers:
- Medical bills – If the injuries you sustained in the accident were severe enough to require medical attention, then the cost of these expenses should be recoverable. This can include doctor visits, physical therapy, medication, surgeries, and even your transportation to and from appointments. It also includes past, present, and predicted medical costs.
- Lost wages – If the injury forced you to miss work for a period of time, then you should be compensated for the wages that you subsequently lost. Depending on your injuries, you may also be owed financial compensation for any decreased future earning ability.
- Pain and suffering – If you are now suffering from any emotional distress or mental trauma, and you can no longer enjoy some of the activities that you did before the accident, then you may be entitled to compensation. However, this can be very difficult to prove, and so it is crucial that you have a personal injury lawyer on your side who can help prove your suffering and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
- Wrongful death – If you lost a loved one due to another person’s negligence, then you should be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. You may also be owed compensation for the loss of their income, as well as any funeral costs and loss of consortium.
While we know that no amount of financial compensation will be able to heal the injuries and trauma you have been left to endure, it can pose some form of justice and help you manage the financial losses you are now suffering from. This is why you should contact The Law Place, so that you can relax and focus on healing from the accident, knowing that your case is in the hands of experienced and determined slip and fall lawyers on your side.
The Law Place
If you or a loved one have suffered an injury that wasn’t your fault because of a slip and fall accident, then you should contact The Law Place. Slip and fall accidents can leave victims suffering from extensive injuries through no fault of their own, and so, if you have been involved in one, then you may deserve compensation and should speak to an experienced personal injury lawyer today. At The Law Place, our personal injury lawyers can give you legal help and guidance that you can trust, and ensure that your legal rights are protected. After determining whether your claim is valid, our lawyers will use their experience to fight for your justice. So, call us today at (941) 444-4444 to book a free consultation and give yourself the best chance at winning the financial compensation that you deserve.
