Unfortunately, slip and fall accidents are not a rarity. Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that more than 800,000 patients end up in hospital every year due to falls. While suffering injuries in a slip and fall accident can be painful and costly, you might be able to recover compensation from the owner of the property where your accident occurred.
Keep in mind that you do not automatically qualify for legal recourse simply because you fell on someone else’s property. In order to have a case, a dangerous or hazardous condition must have been present that the owner failed to remove in a timely manner.
If you or a loved one suffered from serious injuries such as complicated fractures or head injuries due to a property owner’s negligence, you might want to speak to an Austin slip and fall injury lawyer as you might have legal options.
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today at (855) 933-4005 for help and legal advice regarding your slip and fall case.
Injuries in Slip and Falls
Injuries in slip and fall cases can vary widely. Some victims are lucky to walk away from a fall with a few scratches or bruises. Others, however, can end up with permanent life-altering injuries. Examples of injuries suffered in slip and fall accidents include:
- Head and brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Hip fractures
- Back injuries
- Dislocations and sprains
- Wrist and arm fractures
Depending on your specific injuries, you can incur serious costs after a fall. For example, the total cost for treating a hip fracture in the U.S. is around $30,000, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
For a free legal consultation with a slip and fall injury lawyer serving Austin, call (855) 933-4005
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents can happen practically anywhere, including in many places that most people frequent on a regular basis, such as:
- Grocery stores
- Sidewalks
- Restaurants and bars
- Retail shops
- Parking garage
- Stairwells
- Government offices
- Apartment complexes
- Job sites
You might be able to hold a property owner responsible for your injuries and expenses if you fell because of a hazardous condition. A property owner has a duty to make sure that their property is safe from any hazardous conditions.
What Is a Hazardous Condition?
There can be many dangerous conditions that can cause slip and falls, including:
- Wet floors
- Trailing cables
- Poor lighting
- Debris or spillages on floors
- Broken or missing stairs
- Loose mats and rugs
- Cracked flooring
Austin Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer Near Me (855) 933-4005
Actions You Can Take After Your Accident
How you act after a slip and fall can make or break your claim. Taking the necessary steps to protect yourself as well as collecting evidence can be crucial if you intend to pursue compensation from a negligent property owner.
Report the Accident
If you can find the owner or a representative, ask them if you can file an accident report and take a copy home. Having the facts of your accident in writing can be excellent evidence. If there are any eyewitnesses that saw your accident, you could ask them for their contact details and a statement.
Gather Evidence
Any evidence you can collect at the scene or in the following days could help with your case. If you took photos and videos of the accident scene or your injuries, make sure you keep them safe in a file. You might also want to include any medical reports with your evidence as you will have to show proof of your damages when it comes to a court case.
Seek Medical Attention
If you were badly hurt, you most likely got medical attention at the accident scene or soon after. However, if you only suffered minor symptoms and have not gone to see a doctor yet, you should do so. Some injuries can take days and weeks to show, and you will want to protect yourself in case you have a more serious injury. Also, if you file legal action, and it turns out that you did not seek timely medical assistance, you risk the defendant seizing this as an opportunity to fight your claim. They could argue that you only suffered minor injuries, or that your injuries are not related to the accident at all.
Be Careful with Insurance
It might be in your best interest to decline any conversation or correspondence with the other party’s insurance company. You might want to hire a lawyer to handle any negotiations instead. Do not agree to any recorded statements, and do not sign any documents unless you have checked them over thoroughly. If you agree to an out-of-court settlement that later turns out to be inadequate, you will have signed away your rights to legal action.
Speak to Your Austin Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer
Slip and fall cases aren’t always easy to prove. However, an Austin slip and fall injury lawyer could handle these types of cases and might be able to advise you on your legal options for pursuing compensation. Contact the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today to learn more.
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Compensation You Could Receive
Depending on your individual case and the severity of your injuries, you could receive various types of awards for damages such as:
- Hospital stays
- Medical treatment expenses
- Costs of medical devices
- Lost income and future lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disability
- Inconvenience
Not all types of compensation necessarily apply in your case. Likewise, you might be able to recover other types of losses. When the defendant acted in a particularly negligent and reckless way, the court may rule that they have to pay punitive damages to you.
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Ben Crump Law, PLLC, Is Here to Help You
If you want to find out whether you could file a slip and fall claim, you might want to contact us sooner rather than later. Time limits exist for personal injury cases in Texas and, depending on whether you intend to sue a business, private person, or government entity, these timeframes can vary.
Talk to your Austin slip and fall injury lawyer to find out about your options for recovering your losses. If someone’s negligence or recklessness caused your injuries, you might deserve justice and compensation. We may be able to build a comprehensive case against the negligent party by gathering evidence and providing expert witnesses if needed.
Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC, now for a free case evaluation with one of our team members. Call (855) 933-4005 to reach our offices.
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