There are over one million visits to the hospital emergency room each year because of slip and fall injuries, according to the National Floor Safety Institute. Slip and fall injuries can occur due to poor lighting, wet or uneven surfaces, inclement weather, or improper footwear.
Although some people just view slipping and falling as an embarrassing incident that they hope no one else sees, for others it can be very deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), slipping and falling is the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older people. Slip and fall injuries can cause head injuries, hip fractures, back and spinal cord injuries, and shoulder injuries as well as less severe injuries like sprains and fractures.
Have you been injured severely in a slip and fall injury? A slip and fall injury can be life-altering, but you may be entitled to compensation if someone else’s negligence caused the accident.
Here’s how you can get compensation for a slip and fall injury.
PROVING NEGLIGENCE AND LIABILITY IN SLIP AND FALL CASES
In order to get compensated for a slip and fall injury, the injured party must prove that the property owner failed to act reasonably to correct a hazardous condition. For example, if they saw a hazardous condition or obstacle, failed to routinely check for potential hazards on the property, or failed to make the property less dangerous by using preventative measures (such as relocating the hazardous obstacle, placing warnings signs in the dangerous area, or preventing access to the insecure location).
You may also need to prove that you didn’t cause the accident yourself and aren’t totally or even partially responsible for the slip and fall accident that led to your injuries. You will need to prove that you weren’t engaging in other activity that would have prevented you from noticing the obstacle or hazard (such as talking or text on a cell phone), that you weren’t on the property where the hazardous location was illegally, and that there weren’t signs that were posted warning you of the obstacle or hazardous area that you ignored.
WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY RECEIVE IN COMPENSATION FOR A SLIP AND FALL INJURY?
If you can prove that a property owner was negligent and responsible for the injuries, then you may be entitled to past and future medical expenses, past and future lost wages or loss of earning capacity, or past and future pain, suffering disfigurement, and disability.
Any compensation you may be entitled to receive will depend on the circumstances and severity of the injuries.
When you’re trying to seek out compensation for your slip and fall injuries in Georgia, you’re going to need a legal team who will stick by your side and help you understand your rights. Call the Fry Law Team today at 404-969-1284 to schedule a consultation.
