A slip and fall might not seem like that big of a deal in most cases. It may seem as inconsequential as stubbing a toe; it might even seem funny to some of the person who fell was uninjured. However, a slip and fall can be a very serious accident that can lead to catastrophic or fatal injuries.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a slip and fall accident, then you understand how serious these incidents can be. Injuries like spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, and fractured bones are just some of the serious forms of harm that can occur in what seems like a simple slip and fall accident.
If your slip and fall accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to pursue compensation regardless of whether your injury was minor or more serious. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to ensure that you get the best legal representation possible for your personal injury claim. Speak with a skilled and experienced Phoenix slip and fall accident lawyer about your accident as soon as possible to make sure that you get the compensation to which you are entitled, for your injuries.
The Phoenix slip and fall accident attorneys at Torgenson Law have decades of personal injury experience successfully handling cases just like yours. We will work tirelessly and leave no stone unturned as we thoroughly investigate every aspect of your injury accident to make sure that all responsible parties are held liable and you get the compensation you deserve.
You owe it to yourself to at least explore your options after you or someone you love has been injured in an accident that was caused by the careless, reckless, or negligent actions or wrongdoing of another person or business. Make an informed decision by first contacting the Phoenix premises liability attorneys at Torgenson Law to get the legal guidance you need in your personal injury case following your slip and fall accident.
Slip and fall accidents can happen at any time, anywhere. Slips and falls can happen for many reasons. Sometimes, the injured person was just not paying attention and fell, but other times, these kinds of accidents take place because of some unsafe condition on someone else’s property that could have been prevented. A property owner is only required to ensure that he or she keeps the property reasonably safe. Now, if the owner of the property did not react appropriately to a hazard on their property in a timely manner, he or she may be assumed liable for the accidents and injuries that resulted.
Trying to determine whether or not a landlord or property owner was negligent and subsequently caused your slip and fall accident will depend on the following evidence being gathered:
If you retain the services of a lawyer at Torgenson Law, we will begin your case by collecting evidence and proving liability on the part of the landlord or property owner where your slip and fall occurred.
Several dangerous conditions can cause a person to be injured in a slip and fall accident. Some of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents are as follows:
A property owner or landlord is not always responsible for slip and fall accidents that occur because of unsafe conditions that are obvious in Arizona. That being said, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim if the owner or landlord of the property caused the dangerous conditions or allowed the hazardous conditions to persist without providing proper and adequate warnings.
Slip and fall accidents can happen without warning. The most common places that people in Arizona report a dangerous slip and fall accident are listed below:
Injuries that are suffered in slip and fall accidents lead to approximately nine million emergency room visits each year in the United States. They are the second leading cause of unintentional death in the U.S. Recovering from a serious slip and fall injury may require lengthy and extensive medical care and rehabilitation. In the most severe cases, an injured fall victim can die or become so disabled that they will require 24-hour care for the remainder of their life.
Here are the most commonly reported injuries after suffering a fall in the United States:
When a person falls, the impact on their body can cause vertebrae to fracture or cause herniated or slipped discs. These injuries can cause significant pain and discomfort and limit a person’s mobility. A spinal cord injury can lead to the person being permanently paralyzed, temporarily paralyzed, or cause other sensory or neurological impairments.
Falls are reported to be the most common cause of traumatic brain injury in the United States. A TBI is defined as a disruption in the normal function of the brain. This injury is caused by a blow or jolt to the head or an injury that penetrates the skull. A TBI can be a minor concussion that will heal with time and rest or a more severe head injury that will cause long-term cognitive impairment, mood changes, seizures, other debilitating symptoms. Falls cause almost half of all TBIs the U.S. that require ER treatment, hospitalization, or caused the death of the injured person. The elderly and young children are usually affected more by TBIs. Our Phoenix brain injury attorneys can help you start a TBI claim today!
Arm bones, elbows, and wrists can break easily when trying to stop a fall, as can hips, legs, knees, and ankles. Less likely, a tail bone or hip bone can break, depending on how the fall occurs. A broken bone will take time to recover and could impede your daily life for months to years.
A sprain occurs much easier than a broken bone, and can easily happen when trying to save yourself from a fall.
A knee injury can happen after you slip and fall, causing the knee to swell and become stiff. Knee injuries can cause severe pain, making movement and walking difficult. These injuries often take weeks to months to heal and can cause significant setbacks in your life and plans.
A shoulder dislocation can occur as a result of a slip and fall. The shoulder will become loose from its socket, causing pain and swelling. A dislocated shoulder, just like a muscle strain, will happen as a result of trying to right yourself during a slip and fall.
A cut or bruise can easily happen after a slip and fall. These types of injuries are often minor and will resolve on their own. Rarely, further complications, like excessive bleeding or infection, can develop from a cut or bruise, but the chance for them to occur is nonetheless something to worry about.
Getting injured in a slip and fall is not something that you plan for. When you unexpectedly get hurt, you may be scared and confused about what to do next to protect your legal rights. What you do following a slip and fall accident in Arizona can impact your ability to get fairly compensated for your injuries and losses. There are certain precautions and steps that you can take to ensure the financial compensation you receive is adequate and able to fully cover the damages you incurred.
Here is what to do if you have been injured in a slip and fall accident:
Even if your injuries seem minor or inconsequential, you should seek immediate medical attention after a slip and fall. For one, your injuries might be much more severe than they appear at first glance. As well, getting thorough documentation of your injuries after your slip and fall will help your personal injury case by making it clear in a potential legal case that you suffered specific damages.
Inspect the area where you fell and try to determine what caused you to fall. Look to see, for example, if the store had a display that caused you to trip and fall. Was there liquid spilled on the floor? Were there too many people in the building for a special event that caused you to fall? You should do this as soon as possible following your accident to make sure that any evidence is not removed or compromised before you can inspect it.
As soon as you can, report your slip and fall accident to the employees, store managers, landlords, or property owners to notify them of your injury.
If there are any witnesses to your slip and fall accident, talk to them as soon as you can. Exchange information with them and try to get a phone number so that you can contact them if they need to make any additional statements.
Documenting your accident as much as possible will get the ball rolling on your personal injury case after a slip and fall. This is especially the case if you fell because of something visually obvious, such as a puddle of water that was not mopped up or an uneven and cracked sidewalk.
Choosing your words wisely during a personal injury lawsuit should always be your goal. You should not talk to an insurance representative or give any kind of taped statement.
As soon as you are able, sit down and write out a narrative about precisely what happened when you fell. Include as many details as possible. Even the smallest detail can help when building a case. Your memories can fade rather quickly, so it is essential to write everything down. It is also imperative to document your pain, the severity of the injuries sustained, and any other symptoms that you may have. This will help your slip and fall injury lawyer immensely when presenting your case.
You will want to get in contact with a lawyer experienced with personal injury and premises liability cases as soon as you can. Talking to a lawyer will ensure that your rights are protected and that you are fairly compensated for your injuries and losses related to your slip and fall accident.
Our experienced and skilled slip and fall attorneys at Torgenson Law can help you obtain justice for your injuries and losses if you or someone you love has been seriously injured in an accident that was caused by another person or business’s negligence in Arizona. If you or a loved one suffered injuries after a slip and fall accident, contact Arizona’s Torgenson Law today. Torgenson Law is an experienced group of personal injury lawyers in the Phoenix area, with decades of personal injury experience in handling cases just like yours.
Call us today to speak with a skilled Phoenix slip and fall lawyer about your accident and to schedule a free consultation with one of our specialists today at (602) 726-0747.