Slip and fall accidents happen every single day, with over 1 million people taking emergency visits to the hospital for a slip and fall injury, according to the National Floor Safety Institute. A hazardous condition on someone else’s property or business, such as a wet floor, a lack of property maintenance, or a dangerously placed object, could be the cause of a slip and fall that could change your life forever.
A slip and fall accident can result in serious injuries that may affect the bones, spine, and brain – and could even cause death. It will also carry financial burdens, such as medical bills, prescription medication, rehabilitation, and a loss of wages due to being unable to work. If your accident was caused by the negligence of another person, then you could be entitled to compensation that will cover all of your injuries and other related losses in North Port.
The Law Place has over seventy-five years of collective experience in managing personal injury cases and pursuing compensation for people who have been injured in slip and fall accidents in North Port and all over the State of Florida. Our North Port personal injury lawyers have a reputation for succeeding in personal injury claims, and we will provide relentless representation for your case in order to win the compensation that you deserve.
Our team of North Port personal injury lawyers understands the difficult position that you are in, and we want to take the pressure off. The personal injury lawyers at our law firm will investigate your accident, gather evidence, speak to eyewitnesses, deal with the related paperwork, negotiate with the insurance companies involved, and agree on a settlement that sounds reasonable to you. We will be sure to fill you in every step of the way while you take the necessary time that you need to recover from your slip and fall injuries.
Call our office today to set up a free consultation. One of our personal injury lawyers will be waiting to take your call and discuss the details of your slip and fall case in North Port. Our phone lines are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week so that we can offer you advice when you need it the most.
Contact The Law Place now on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation, and we will fight to win the compensation that you deserve for your slip and fall case in North Port.
Premises Liability Law in North Port, FL.
Slip and fall cases are the most common types of personal injury claims in the State of Florida. You might think that they are minor incidents, but they can become very complex cases. If you have been hurt in a slip and fall accident, then you must reach out to a personal injury lawyer who can explain your legal rights in North Port.
Slip and fall accidents are under a special area of personal injury law that is known as premises liability. The term ‘premises liability’ means that every property owner has a responsibility to keep their premises safe and free from harm. If a visitor was to slip and fall on their property, then they could hold the property owner accountable for their injuries and other related losses.
Our law firm has been working under premises liability law for years, and we have the necessary knowledge and skills to negotiate with insurance companies and business owners in order to win the compensation that you deserve for your slip and fall accident.
Common Slip and Fall Injuries in North Port, FL.
Injuries sustained in slip and fall accidents might seem minor, but they can become life-threatening injuries. Here are some of the most common types of slip and fall injuries:
- Broken bones – Bones tend to absorb the shock and force of an impact when someone slips and falls on their hip or uses their arms/wrists to cushion the fall. A fall has the potential to break almost any bone in the human body, depending on the cause of the fall.
- Brain injury – A blow to the head in a fall can cause a serious brain injury, which could become life-threatening if it goes undiagnosed for a long period of time after the slip and fall accident has occurred. If you fell and hit your head, then it is very important that you consult with a doctor immediately. A brain injury can take some time to reveal symptoms.
- Spinal cord injury – A fall that exerts force on a person’s spine can result in a serious spinal cord injury, affecting the nerves protected by the spine that transmit messages from the brain to the body. A spinal cord injury has the potential to cause temporary or permanent paralysis.
- Nerve and soft tissue damage – A fall can inflict damage on the nerves and could even result in soft tissue injuries to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Nerve and soft tissue damage can lead to chronic pain and leave a devastating effect on a person.
If any of the above slip and fall injuries were to become severe, then it could potentially result in a person’s death. If a loved one suffered injuries, such as breaking their hip, suffering a stroke, or the failure of an organ due to a slip and fall accident, then the family could be owed compensation to pay for funeral expenses, medical bills, pain, and suffering, and more under Florida Statute 768.21.
Common Reasons for Slip and Fall Injuries in North Port, FL.
A slip and fall accident can happen for a variety of reasons. It is imperative that you seek legal counsel from The Law Place so that our personal injury lawyers can investigate your accident and figure out who is liable for your damages.
If someone has a responsibility to repair or maintain the property where you slipped and fell, then you could be eligible to file a personal injury claim against them in North Port. Here are some of the main reasons for a slip and fall accident to occur:
- Uneven floors – Bumpy flooring can be hard to navigate, which could potentially result in a slip and fall accident.
- Wet or slippery floors – Water is one of the most common causes of falls. A leaking window, a rainy walkway, or an improperly cleaned or waxed floor can easily cause a slip and fall accident.
- Wires and cords – An electronic device with long wires and cords is a serious tripping hazard and must be tucked away safely.
- Cracked sidewalks – A sidewalk can become dangerous over time, mostly due to weather changes or construction. It is important for all sidewalks in disrepair to have a posted warning sign nearby.
- Inadequate lighting – A lack of lighting is an easy way to slip and fall. Every business has a responsibility to keep their premises properly lit.
- Broken railings – A badly maintained railing that provides a lack of support could be the cause of a slip and fall accident.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer Will Handle Your Slip and Fall Case in North Port, FL.
If you were injured on someone else’s property or business, then our law firm will take care of all the details of your slip and fall case from beginning to end. Our team of personal injury lawyers will cover these areas in particular:
- Review your case – Call our office today to set up a free consultation, where we will fully review your slip and fall accident and offer you free advice on how to best approach your case.
- Conducting an investigation – Our law firm will investigate what happened in your slip and fall accident. We will gather evidence to prove who was negligent.
- Compensation available – Our team of personal injury lawyers will identify all types of compensation that are available for you.
- Documentation – Our law firm will collect medical bills, receipts, invoices, and other related paperwork in order to calculate the damages you are owed.
- Working with professionals – Our team of personal injury lawyers will work with other professionals, such as medical teams and accident reconstruction professionals, to build your personal injury claim.
- Negotiating with insurance companies – Our law firm will negotiate with insurance companies in order to demand the settlement that you deserve.
- Taking your case to trial – If our law firm cannot agree on a fair settlement for your personal injury claim, then we will not hesitate to take your case to court in order to win the compensation that you are owed.
Duty of Care in a Slip and Fall Accident in North Port, FL.
You can sue for a slip and fall accident in North Port, but you will need to meet certain criteria before you are able to file a lawsuit. You will have to prove negligence for a slip and fall accident, which means that you need to have evidence of:
- Duty of care – You must be able to prove that the property or business owner had a duty of care to you.
- Breach of duty – You must be able to prove that the property or business owner did not take the necessary measures to maintain their premises. This will include determining the length of time that the hazard existed and if the property or business owner was aware or should have known about the hazard. You must also be able to show that the property or business owner had enough time to fix the hazard in question.
- Causation – You must be able to prove that your injuries were the result of the hazardous condition on the property or business owner’s premises. You will need to document all your injuries and other related losses in order to prove the amount of compensation that you are owed.
Compensation for a Slip and Fall Accident in North Port, FL.
A North Port personal injury lawyer from The Law Place will determine the worth of your slip and fall case. Our law firm will fully evaluate all the costs of your case in order to make sure that you are not getting less than you deserve.
A list of compensation available for a slip and fall accident includes:
- Medical bills – Past, present, and future medical bills, such as hospitalization, physical therapy, rehabilitation, prescription medication, and more.
- Loss of income – Any lost income due to being unable to work, alongside any changes to your income prior to your accident.
- Pain and suffering – Mental trauma, emotional anguish, loss of enjoyment for life, and more.
The State of Florida works according to comparative negligence law. Florida Statute 768.81 declares that you will be assigned a percentage of fault if you are found to be partially liable for a slip and fall accident. The compensation that you receive will be reduced by the percentage that you are found to be at fault.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Slip and Fall Accidents in North Port, FL?
The statute of limitations states that you have up to four years from the date of your slip and fall accident to file a personal injury claim, according to Florida Statute 95.11.
It can take a long time before your claim is successful, as a North Port personal injury lawyer will have to investigate your accident, gather evidence, and document the extent of your damages. That is why you must seek legal representation as soon as possible.
If you miss the deadline, then the court will most likely drop your case.
How to Protect Your Legal Rights After a Slip and Fall Accident in North Port, FL.
It is important that you are aware of your legal rights after a slip and fall accident in North Port. You must take the right steps in order to put yourself in the best position to recover compensation later. Follow these steps:
- Seek medical attention – Health and safety should always be your first priority following a slip and fall accident. Get a check-up at the hospital right away to determine your injuries and collect medical documentation.
- Notify the property owner – It is imperative that you get in contact with the owner of the property where you slipped and fell. If you were hurt on a business property, then you might be asked to fill out an incident report. Remember to get a copy for your own personal records.
- Collect evidence – You must have evidence to help you prove fault in your personal injury claim. A list of evidence for you to collect includes taking pictures of the scene of the accident, video footage, any injuries, and the clothes that you were wearing at the time.
- Document your case – It is worth getting a journal and writing down your experiences after a slip and fall accident. This includes your recovery process and the different areas of your life that your injuries affect.
- Hire a north port personal injury lawyer – It is essential that you hire a personal injury lawyer to protect your legal rights and represent your slip and fall case. They will fight to win the compensation that you deserve.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Slip and Fall Accident in North Port, FL?
If you were hurt in any way, then you will need a personal injury lawyer. They will be your strongest advocate and your confidante in your slip and fall case. Anything that you share with them will be kept confidential under the attorney-client relationship agreement, and they will fight to protect your legal rights, no matter what.
When you are seeking legal representation, consider the following:
- Does the personal injury lawyer have the necessary experience and knowledge when it comes to handling slip and fall accidents?
- Does the law firm have the time and resources to manage your slip and fall case?
- Does the personal injury lawyer have a good reputation in their community and good feedback from past clients?
- Does the law firm offer a free consultation so that you can learn more about what services they offer and how they can help you?
- Does the personal injury lawyer have experience/ skills in negotiation and litigation?
At The Law Place, we understand that it might seem like a daunting challenge to choose the right personal injury lawyer for your case. It can take a lot of time and research on your part, but the most important aspect to consider is how comfortable you are with the personal injury lawyer in question. You must feel free to share every detail about your slip and fall case, alongside sharing how the injuries are affecting your life.
A personal injury lawyer from The Law Place is willing to sit down and meet with you personally to discuss your case during a free consultation. Call our office today.
Where Are the Most Common Places for a Slip and Fall Accident to Occur in North Port, FL?
There are many places where a slip and fall accident can occur. This includes in a supermarket, a shopping center, at a workplace, outdoors in a parking lot, on a sidewalk going into an office building, and many other places.
There are certain businesses where there might be a higher risk of slip and fall accidents. This includes amusement parks, restaurants, hotels, or even movie theatres. An office building with tile floors is also much more likely to see an increase in slip and fall accidents due to improperly cleaned or waxed floors. Furthermore, a rainy walkway or high volumes of traffic can create the conditions for a slip and fall accident to occur.
If I Slip and Fall in a Store, Is the Store Always Liable in North Port, FL?
No, the store cannot always be held liable for several reasons.
The bottom line is that the property owner must be aware that there is an issue or have a reason to expect an issue in order to be held liable. For example, if you walk into a supermarket and the shopper in front of you was to drop a bottle of wine on the floor, which shatters and causes you to slip and fall, then the owner of the property will not be held liable as they could not have expected the incident to occur.
However, if a supermarket employee was unboxing a delivery and they end up dropping a bottle of juice on the floor that shatters, and they fail to clean it, which causes you to slip and fall, then the store could be held liable as the employee has a responsibility to report or clean up the spill in order to avoid an accident.
Does the Reason That I Was on the Property Matter if I am Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident in North Port, FL?
To put it simply, yes. The reason that you were on the property at the time that the slip and fall accident happened does matter.
As stated earlier, all property owners have a duty of care to visitors when they are invited onto their property under premises liability law. However, if you were trespassing on someone else’s property and you were injured in a slip and fall accident, then you automatically lose the right to file a claim against the property owner. This can also apply to someone that was initially invited onto someone else’s property, as they become a trespasser if they are caught entering an area that is closed to the public. If you were to slip and fall while walking in a prohibited area, then you could be classed as a trespasser instead of an invitee.
Contact The Law Place in North Port, FL.
If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident in North Port, then you must seek legal representation as soon as possible. It is important that you do not waste time and start your personal injury claim early so that the entirety of the process is documented.
The Law Place has over seventy-five years of combined experience in defending the legal rights of people who have been injured in slip and fall accidents in North Port and throughout the State of Florida. Our team of personal injury lawyers will provide relentless representation for your case, and they will skillfully negotiate with the insurance companies involved in order to win the maximum amount of compensation.
Our law firm will work non-stop to build a strong personal injury case in order to recover compensation for your slip and fall injuries, pain and suffering, loss of income, and more. We understand the challenges that you are facing, and we want to make the process easy for you by handling your case while you take the necessary time that you need to recover.
Call us today to set up a free consultation, where one of our personal injury lawyers will review your slip and fall case and offer you a free piece of advice to help you in your current situation. Our phone lines are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, so do not hesitate to give us a call.
Contact The Law Place now on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation, and we will fight to win the compensation that you deserve for your slip and fall case in North Port.
