Slips, trips, and falls can occur anywhere, anytime. An outing with friends, trip to the store, or day at work, can take a sudden turn when you trip and hurt yourself. When someone falls due to an owner’s negligence, the victim may be able to seek compensation for the resulting injuries and damages.
Any number of situations can cause you to trip and fall. Fall hazards include things like cords, cluttered walkways, poor lighting, uneven surfaces, and unmarked steps. While the causes of falls are numerous, when you trip and fall down you might face more than just embarrassment. Fall injuries can leave you out of work, buried in medical bills, and in severe pain.
Property owners and business owners have a duty to keep their premises safe for visitors and can be held responsible if their carelessness leads to you getting hurt. A Philadelphia slip and fall lawyer helps fall victims receive compensation from negligent owners.
What Injuries Can Occur from a Trip-and-Fall Accident?
When you trip and fall, any number of serious injuries can occur. In some cases, fall accidents can be devastating. For instance, a fall can result in head trauma or spinal cord injuries. Resulting disabilities can be life-changing and forever impact your ability to participate in daily activities and future earning potential.
Common injuries from falls include:
- Bruises
- Broken Bones
- Sprains
- Head Trauma
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Neck and Back Injuries
A fall from heights, fall on concrete, or fall down the stairs can increase the chances of severe injury and have grave consequences. When slip and fall incidents occur because of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover compensation.
Slip and Fall vs. Trip and Fall
The difference between slip and fall accidents and trips and falls is the circumstances that led to the fall. Moreover, in the case of a slip, most individuals will fall backwards, while a trip typically causes people to fall forward.
A slip & fall injury typically occurs when someone steps on slippery surfaces, causing their feet to slip out from underneath them and causing a fall backwards. A trip and fall, however, happens when you encounter an object causing you to trip and stumble forward.
Who Is Liable for a Trip-and-Fall Accident?
Fall accidents happen most often when property owners or business owners fail to maintain their premises. Under Pennsylvania premises liability law, owners have a duty of care to visitors and must maintain their property and warn of any hazards. Negligence can lead to a slip, trip, or fall and injury can result.
If you fall and get hurt on another person’s property, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries. Damages that are available in a personal injury case include:
- Economic Damages such as medical expenses or lost wages.
- Non-Economic Damages like pain and suffering or disfigurement.
- Punitive Damages when the liable party acted in a grossly negligent or reckless manner.
It is important to keep in mind that Pennsylvania is a modified comparative negligence state. This means any recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if your damages are $100,000 but are 25% responsible for your trip and fall injuries, you would recover $75,000. Furthermore, if you are 51% or more at fault for your injuries, you cannot recover.
Should You Hire a Lawyer for a Trip and Fall Injury Case?
A trip and fall can cause serious injuries. After a fall occurs, you may be left struggling with medical bills, rehabilitation, and lost wages. This can become overwhelming when you are also battling the liable party’s insurance company.
Trip and fall injury cases can be challenging. Victims must prove not just that they were hurt, but that the property owner was negligent. Premises liability involves a complex intersection of personal injury law. Additionally, the statute of limitations in Pennsylvania is only two years. If you fail to file in that time, you may be forever barred from recovering compensation.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help fall victims recover fair compensation for their damages. Lawyers take the guesswork out of the claim process, securing their clients legal rights and advocating on their behalf.
At the Law Office of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C., we understand the traumatic effects of slips, trips, and falls. Recovering compensation can be challenging, but our dedicated and compassionate legal team is here to help.