Weston Slip and Fall Attorneys
A Weston Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer at Justin Morgan Law Discusses One Of The Most Common Cause of Injuries In Florida
Slip and fall accidents are the silent, often-overlooked cause of injuries in the U.S. Most of us look back at the times we slipped and fell, and almost always get right back up, with no real damage other than a scrape or two and a bruised ego. Nonetheless, the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) reports in part that:
- Falls account for over 8 million hospital emergency room visits, representing the leading cause of visits (21.3%). Slips and falls account for over 1 million visits or 12% of total falls.
- Fractures are the most serious consequences of falls and occur in 5% of all people who fall.
- According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), floors and flooring materials contribute directly to more than 2 million fall injuries each year.
- Half of all accidental deaths in the home are caused by a fall. Most fall injuries in the home happen at ground level, not from an elevation.
- According to the CDC, in 2005, more than 15,000 people over the age of 65 died as a result of a fall. Up from 7,700 a decade earlier.
- Compensation & medical costs associated with employee slip/fall accidents is approximately $70 billion annually (National Safety Council Injury Facts 2003 edition).
- Falls occur in virtually all manufacturing and service sectors. Fatal falls, however, are usually in construction, mining, and certain maintenance activities.
As you can see, slip and fall accidents are much more common than most of us realized, especially for the elderly. But how do you prove your case?
What Do You Have to Prove in a Slip and Fall Accident in Florida?
“Slip and fall” is a common type of a broader legal category called “premises liability.” Florida law requires that you prove many elements to make a recovery; such as:
- You were on someone else's property.
- You slipped or tripped on a wet, uneven, or otherwise defective surface.
- The defective surface caused the slip or trip.
- The property owner had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition.
- The property owner should have fixed the defect.
- The property owner did not fix the defect.
- You suffered damages as a result of the fall.
These elements are deceptively simple in appearance, but you'll need the help of a Weston slip and fall accident lawyer at Justin Morgan Law to actually prove each element. The court will not simply take your word for it.
About Florida Slip and Fall Accidents
According to a Weston personal injury attorney at Justin Morgan Law, here are a few interesting and helpful facts about slip and fall accidents:
- You don't actually have to “slip;” a trip or anything else that causes a fall is the critical point. It's usually the “fall” that causes the injury, so any action that leads to an injurious fall qualifies.
- For example, you can sue a grocery store that doesn't promptly clean spills, a collapsed ceiling, or the like, and poorly maintained parking lots with divots or holes are all actionable.
- The law applies to any other person's property; so, for example, if you attend a friend's party at their house when the accident occurs, the slip and fall rules still apply. From a practical standpoint, you risk harming the friendship in question, but you can always ask the question: “If not you, then who will pay for my medical bills and missed work time?” Usually it's their homeowner's insurance that will likely be responsible to pay damages, and not the owner personally paying.
- Eyewitnesses are crucial evidence, and their contact info and statement should be taken before their memory fades. If you're in bad enough shape that you can't do this, ask a friend or even a friendly bystander to get this information. Pictures and videos of the defect(s) are also critical evidence.
- Common slip and fall accidents occur at food markets, where employees are just “too busy” to clean a spill.
- Even collapsed ceilings or leaks from a ceiling may give rise to a slip and fall claim.
How Can Justin Morgan Law Help Me if I've Been Injured by a Defect on Someone Else's Property?
According to a Weston slip and fall injury lawyer at Justin Morgan Law, slips or trips and falls are so common, that it never even occurs to many people to take action. If the accident costs you money or pain, don't hesitate to contact a Weston slip and fall accident attorney at Justin Morgan Law. We'll help you decide whether you have a valid case or not, usually within the time allotted for your free consultation and if so, we'll handle all of your legal concerns for you so that you can focus on your recovery.
Contact A Weston Slip And Fall Injury Attorney at Justin Morgan Law Today
Do not hesitate to contact us because there are time limits for filing a claim. We'll handle all of your legal and insurance issues and fight to deliver the best possible results for you. There is no cost, risk, or obligation for you, so call Justin Morgan Law toll-free at 1-800-9JUSTIN or 1-800-958-7846. We offer free consultations and will not charge you fees or costs unless we recover money for you. We are multilingual, and although most of our clients come from the tri-county South Florida area, we do regularly represent clients throughout the state of Florida.