What is a Slip and Fall Accident in Vermont?
The term ‘slip and fall’ is used to refer to personal injury cases in which a person has tripped or slipped on someone’s property resulting in injuries. Sometimes it can even result in death. Slip and fall accidents are part of the wider category of cases that fall under the ‘premises liability’ claims.
A slip and fall accident generally occurs on the ‘premises’ or property that is maintained and owned by someone else. It could be a company as well. The owner of the property is legally responsible for such accidents. If you have been in one such accident, you must hire a personal injury lawyer without any delays.
Common Causes of Slips and Falls
In theory, a number of reasons can cause slips and falls to occur on-premises. However, not all of them can hold the property owner liable.
Below are the common causes wherein the victim may be eligible to receive compensation:
• Uneven or wet surface
• Changes in flooring and/or torn carpeting
• Poor maintenance such as narrow stairs, bad lighting, potholes in the ground
• Improper worker training in hazardous workplaces
• Bad weather conditions like rain, snow, and ice
In any case, it’s important that the plaintiff has sustained injuries (however minor) to be eligible to receive compensation.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident?
• Seek immediate medical treatment – The number one priority of anyone who has been in an accident following a slip or trip is to seek immediate medical attention. Make sure to get all your injuries documented. These medical records are a crucial part of the evidence that will help you receive the compensation you rightfully deserve for sustaining injuries.
• Report the Accident – No matter whether you have slipped or tripped, in case of an on-premises accident (whether it happened at someone’s house, sidewalk, or inside a store) – be sure to report the incident immediately. Reach out to the landlord, manager, or owner of the property. Be sure to write down the details of the accident and ask for a written copy of the incident report before leaving the premises.
• Document Everything – If there were any witnesses, be sure to collect their phone numbers, addresses, names, and email addresses. This is a crucial step. Witness statements could be paramount to pursuing a legal claim.
Additionally, capture photos of the exact location where the accident happened. If there were any icy patches, broken stairs, or bad conditions that led to the accident, photograph those as well. Jot down the details like what you were doing at the time you fell, the time and date of the accident, etc. Keep the shoes and clothes in a safe storage space that you wore during the accident. All these things are crucial pieces of evidence.
• Avoid Giving Statements – You have the right to avoid giving any legal statement. So, stay calm and limit the communication to necessary things with the manager/property owner. Avoid posting details of the accident on social media sites. Unless you’ve spoken to your attorney, avoid giving statements to your insurance company. Don’t place or take any blame. Leave all that for the attorney to handle.
• Call a Lawyer – It’s important to find and work with an experienced slip and fall injury lawyer if you plan on a legal action. Most trip, slip, and fall cases happen to be complex in nature where it’s difficult to prove who’s guilty. Therefore, your best bet is to rely on the resourcefulness and expertise of an experienced and successful law firm. Please call me today for a free consultation. My number is 802-888-7707.
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Compensation for Slip and Fall Cases
Every slip and trip injury case is unique. Therefore, it’s difficult to use previous results as something to judge the consequences against.
The following factors are taken into consideration to arrive at the compensation amount:
• Lost wages
• Medical bills
• Monetary damages expected in the future
• Pain and suffering
• Other recovery-related costs
Finding a Lawyer for Slip and Fall Case
Most slip and fall victims are not sure whether they should work with a slip and fall accident lawyer or not. If you’ve been in one such accident, please call me today. I have over forty years of experience. There’s no need to get stuck paying never-ending medical bills.