Whether it happens at a store, business, work, or someone else’s home, suffering a slip-and-fall injury can leave its victim with serious injuries and resulting damages. If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall accident as a result of someone else’s negligent conduct, you may be able to recover compensation.
A slip-and-fall accident, put simply, is an injury that stems from the victim slipping and falling on a particular hazard or unexpected condition, such as a wet floor. Another version of this injury can involve tripping and falling over a particular hazard, such as a missing step. It is a common personal injury, and it can result in serious consequences to the victim, including the need to engage in significant medical care.
Slip-and-fall accidents can happen in various circumstances. These might include:
A slip-and-fall accident can result in serious personal injuries. Common injuries include broken or fractured bones, along with painful muscle sprains and strains. Traumatic head injuries or concussions are also possible, as are serious injuries to the back, neck, or spine. In the most catastrophic cases, a slip-and-fall can leave you with long-lasting or even life-altering issues, such as paralysis, cognitive difficulties, loss of consciousness, or even wrongful death.
It is very important that you seek out proper medical care and treatments as soon as possible after your slip-and-fall. Even if you feel perfectly fine, some medical conditions can take days or even weeks to manifest.
The financial losses that result from a slip-and-fall injury can be significant. Your damages may include hospitalization, medical bills and treatments, medical testing or imaging, rehabilitation and therapy expenses, prescription medications, and even lost income if you are unable to work as a result of your injuries.
Additionally, you may suffer general damages, including chronic pain and suffering, emotional trauma, potentially lost future earnings, the loss of enjoyment of activities that you can no longer do, and an overall decline in the quality of your life after your injury. Your family or loved ones may also be impacted, and you may need significant care after your accident.
Liability in your Arizona slip-and-fall accident is determined by the unique facts of your case, including where the incident occurred and what type of duty was owed to you at the time. For example, if your slip-and-fall happened on someone else’s property, whether as a customer at a local business or a guest in someone else’s home, then you may be able to establish a claim for premises liability against the property owner, in order to seek compensation for your injuries.
If this is the direction your case takes, you will need to prove the elements of negligence, as well as the property owner’s breach of duty towards you. Proving the element of breach will depend on the type of duty the property owner owed you as a guest or customer—such as the duty to warn you of any dangerous conditions or clear them before you came onto the property.
Proving liability in a slip-and-fall case can be difficult without the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer. Liability is a complicated issue, sometimes involving several different laws and their application to the unique facts of your case. Moreover, slip-and-fall cases require extensive negotiations with the parties and their insurance companies. That can be a daunting process, as insurers have significant legal and financial resources on their side and will fight to minimize payment as much as they can. It’s important not to allow the insurance companies to bully you into accepting a settlement that will not adequately compensate you for your losses.
An experienced Arizona slip-and-fall attorney will give you legal advice, investigate the facts of your case, research the law, and work to preserve important evidence. They will negotiate with the other parties and their insurance companies, leveling the playing field and ensuring that your settlement offer is fair and adequately compensates you for your losses. And, if a fair and reasonable settlement is not possible, an attorney will be able to present a strong case, based on the evidence, on your behalf at trial.
Our managing attorney, John Torgenson, has devoted 100% of his career to fighting against insurance companies. He believes those who are injured should be fully and fairly compensated. We understand the significant impact of a serious slip-and-fall injury on a person and their family, and we want to help you get back on your feet.
An Arizona slip-and-fall accident can leave you with significant injuries and losses, and Torgenson Law can help ensure you receive the medical care you need. Let us focus on your claim so that you can focus on getting better.
Schedule a free initial consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys today and see how we can give you the support you deserve. Give us a call today at 602-726-0747 for a free case evaluation.