Sacramento Slip-And-Fall Lawyer
In 20% of cases, falls cause severe injuries. As of 2021, falls were one of the leading causes of accidental deaths, claiming 44,686 lives. Common causes of falls include:
- Slips
- Steps
- Stumbles
- Trips
Step and fall accidents involve falling because of a change in flooring height. Falling from a stumble occurs when you lose balance after stepping on or into an object. Catching your foot on objects can cause you to trip and fall.
Slip-and-fall accidents involve slipping on wet surfaces and falling. Slip-and-fall is sometimes an umbrella term, including falls from steps, stumbles, and trips.
Slip-and-fall lawyers represent victims who have suffered injuries from slip-and-fall accidents. They protect their client’s rights and fight for compensation for their injuries.
Call Sette Law for a free consultation.
Where Do Slip-And-Fall Accidents Happen Most Commonly?
Slip-and-fall accidents can happen anywhere fluids or water can build up on a surface. Common places where these accidents occur include the following:
- Bathrooms: Overflowing sinks and toilets can lead to water buildup, and bursting or leaking pipes can also cause slippery floors.
- Gas stations: Fuel, beverages, or water increases the risks of slip-and-fall accidents at gas stations
- Grocery stores: Grocery stores spray water to preserve produce. These stores also have refrigerated units and freezers. Issues with pipes or loss of power could cause water to leak onto floors. Plus, grocery stores sell beverages and other fluids that can cause slippery floors if spilled.
- Kitchens: Kitchens have pipes, sinks, refrigerators, dishwashers, and freezers that can leak water. People use water when cooking and may use other fluids, like cooking oil. Spilled beverages or fluids pose a safety hazard.
- Parking lots: Parking lots can be dangerous if there are potholes or changes in elevation where water can build up. It’s possible to stumble on a pothole or slip on standing water.
- Parks: Changes in elevation, standing water on sidewalks, wet grass, and wet surfaces such as tennis courts all increase the risk of falls
- Pools: Public pools have a slick environment because people get out of the pool and drip, and they splash water onto the surroundings when they jump into the pool.
- Restaurants: Kitchens have a higher risk of slips and falls. Restaurants also serve beverages, soups, and other items that can cause slick floors if spilled.
- Sidewalks: Changes in pavement height can cause people to stumble and fall on sidewalks, and rainwater can build up in pavement dips, posing a risk
- Stores: It’s easy for store floors to get slippery if people track in rainwater, mud, or snow when they enter the store
What Causes Slip-And-Fall Accidents?
Anything that can cause a person to slip, lose their balance, and fall is a cause of slip-and-fall accidents. Common causes include the following:
- Accidental spills: Accidental spills can occur anywhere someone has a fluid or access to fluids, including offices and dining rooms. Accidental spills are unintentional.
- Deliberately wet surfaces: Sometimes, areas are wet because of deliberate actions. For example, when you water your lawn, you make your grass slippery. This is a deliberate action that increases the risk of a slip-and-fall accident.
- Naturally wet surfaces: Waves, animal activity, and people can track water onto beaches and riverbanks. Naturally wet surfaces can also include any outdoor surfaces affected by snow or rain.
A person could be liable if their negligence causes or contributes to an accident resulting in personal injuries.
If you have been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, call us for a free consultation.
What Should You Do After A Slip-And-Fall Accident?
If you’ve suffered a severe injury, such as a head or neck injury, you may need immediate medical care first. Complete the remaining steps listed here when you’re able:
- Seek medical care: A licensed medical doctor can assess and diagnose your injuries. Your medical records establish your slip-and-fall accident injuries, which is crucial for two reasons. A diagnosis allows you to receive appropriate treatment, and your medical records are vital to a slip-and-fall claim.
- Document the scene: Make notes, take pictures, and record video of the accident site. Documenting can help establish the accident’s cause and determine if someone’s negligence caused your accident.
- Collect contact information: Get names and contact information for any witnesses
- File an accident report: You may also need to file a report or inform the manager if your accident occurred on public property or at work
- Talk to a slip-and-fall lawyer: Slip-and-fall lawyers offer free consultations so you can discover your legal options after your accident
Can I Sue For Slip-And-Fall Injuries?
Whether you can sue depends on whether a person’s negligence caused or contributed to your accident. Let’s look at two scenarios:
No Liability
Your building’s manager notifies building occupants about plans to repave the parking lot to prevent standing water and suggests avoiding specific areas in the parking lot that increase their risk of an accident.
There’s standing rainwater on the pavement when you leave work. You slip, fall, and hit your head while walking in one of the areas the building manager said to avoid. In that case, your building manager may not be negligent because they took reasonable steps to prevent accidents.
Building Manager Liable
Suppose you slip and fall when you leave work. Your accident occurred in a dark area because the light bulbs had burned out and hadn’t been replaced. A month earlier, another employee slipped and suffered severe injuries in the same area. Although you and others expressed concerns about the lighting and the manager knew about the prior accident, the building manager didn’t replace the burned-out bulbs.
It can be argued that the building manager knew of existing safety hazards and failed to take reasonable steps to eliminate them. In that case, the building manager may be liable.
What Is My Slip-And-Fall Case Worth?
A slip-and-fall claim involves seeking reimbursement for costs stemming from the accident, plus compensation for the accident’s toll.
You can seek economic damages for any costs you incur because of the accident, such as:
- Childcare costs
- Lost wages
- Medical bills
- Personal care costs
- Transportation costs
You can also seek damages for the accident’s toll on your emotional and physical health. There are several reasons you can seek non-economic damages, including the following:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Grief
- Loss of intimacy
- Loss of quality of life
- Pain and suffering
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
California allows some accident victims to seek punitive damages. Punitive damages apply if a person’s deliberate inactions or actions cause harm. Your slip-and-fall lawyer must establish that the at-fault party knew there was a high probability their inactions or actions could harm someone and continued with their course of inaction or action, justifying a gross negligence claim.
Suppose a store manager knows a burst pipe is leaking on the floor and doesn’t clean up the water or post signs warning patrons about slippery floors. You slip and fall and suffer a head injury. In this case, a person’s inaction caused preventable injuries.
Suppose an employee deliberately breaks a pipe. Water leaks on the floor, and you slip and fall and suffer severe injuries. In that case, a person’s actions caused your accident and could justify a claim for punitive damages.
How Is Liability Established In A Slip-And-Fall Case?
Establishing liability involves confirming who’s responsible. This can involve identifying the property owner or property manager or who’s responsible for the conditions that led to your accident.
Suppose you slip and fall in a store. The store manager or building manager could be liable. Liability could depend on the terms of their lease agreement and who’s responsible for building maintenance.
Liability for accidents on private property could fall to the property’s owner. However, suppose the property owner’s neighbor runs sprinklers that spray the property owner’s lawn. You slip on the grass, fall, and hurt yourself. The neighbor may be liable because their actions created the wet surface that caused your accident.
Public and private property owners or managers may still be liable if someone was trespassing if they knew it was common for people to trespass on their property. Hiring a slip-and-fall lawyer is one of the best ways to ensure you determine liability and file a claim against the appropriate party. Your attorney will investigate the case, subpoena documents, review evidence, and interview witnesses to establish liability.
How Long Do I Have To File A Claim For A Slip-And-Fall Injury?
California allows slip-and-fall victims 24 months to initiate a claim. Ideally, it would help if you took legal action as soon as possible to ensure your attorney can locate the evidence and witnesses needed to support your claim.
Should I Get A Lawyer For A Slip-And-Fall?
Hiring a slip-and-fall lawyer ensures you have a legal expert investigating your accident and preparing your case. Your lawyer will help build your case, help you calculate the damages to seek, lead negotiations with the liable party’s insurance company, and, if necessary, present evidence at trial.
How Much Does A Lawyer Cost?
There are no upfront fees for hiring a slip-and-fall lawyer. Injury attorneys offer free consultations, allowing you to determine if you have grounds for a legal case. Injury attorneys also work on contingency fees. They incur any court costs or other expenses needed to prepare your case and fight for you to receive compensation. You only pay legal fees once your attorney secures a settlement or judgment from the at-fault party.
If You Have Been Injured In A Slip-And-Fall Accident, Schedule Your Free Consultation With Sette Law Today
Sette Law is here to help you recover damages after your Sacramento-area slip-and-fall accident. We’ll prepare and file the legal paperwork and use our investigation to locate the evidence needed to support your claim. With Sette Law on your side, you can prioritize your recovery and still get the compensation you deserve.
If you have been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, call Sette Law for a free consultation.
Sources:
Accidents or Unintentional Injuries. (2023).
Facts About Falls. (2023).