Injuries resulting from slips or falls can range from minor to extreme in Cartersville. But no matter the severity, slip and fall accidents are often caused by the negligence of the property’s manager or owner. And the victim of a slip and fall accident shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s carelessness.
If you or a loved one were injured in a slip and fall accident, don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for the fall. In most cases, a lack of upkeep or warning signs about a hazard is what led to your accident, and someone is liable.
At John Foy & Associates, we can help you seek financial recovery for medical bills, lost wages, and other costs related to the fall. We’ve been helping personal injury victims do so for more than 20 years, and we stand by your rights to recover for your damages. Let us give you a FREE consultation to discuss your options and how we can help you.
Call 404-400-4000, or complete the form to your right to get started with your free consultation.
What Kind of Injuries Are Most Common in Slip and Fall Cases?
Slip and fall accidents result from the manager or owner of a property or premises failing to either fix or remove a hazard or provide sufficient warning about said hazard. Examples of situations where slip and fall accident can happen include:
- Wet floors
- Slipped products
- Broken or crooked stairs
- Poor lighting
- Falling objects
- Low railings
- High steps
- Uneven pavement
These situations and more can lead to common slip and fall injuries like:
- Cuts and bruises
- Concussions and other head trauma
- Broken arms, legs, fingers, or other bones
- Back injuries
- Knee injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Emotional trauma
Even injuries that don’t sound too extreme on paper can require costly treatment, and some injuries can require surgeries, prescription medications, hospitalization, and ongoing treatment like rehabilitation or physical therapy. This isn’t to mention the loss of income during treatment times and the pain and suffering involved.
Having a good slip and fall lawyer is vital after your injury occurs, no matter how it happened or how you were injured. Even injuries that seem okay at first can manifest into something worse over time, so you should also always see a doctor after a slip and fall accident. This will create a record of your injuries and the costs involved with how you are being treated for them.
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If I Tripped, Is My Fall My Own Fault?
You should never blame yourself after a slip and fall accident. Also, don’t apologize or openly admit blame until you’ve spoken with a slip and fall lawyer about the situation.
We find that many slip and fall accident victims are prone to blaming themselves after the accident. They are well-meaning and may not want to “cause trouble” or truly believe the fall happened because they were just “being clumsy.”
But we know that most slip and fall accidents have a cause, and that cause is usually negligence on the part of whoever owns or manages the property or premises.
Now, you will need to be prepared for the other side possibly trying to argue that you do bear some responsibility for the accident. If the property owner is able to pin some of the blame on you, it can affect the amount of money you may be able to receive.
Any court award or settlement could end up being much lower than it would have otherwise been—or you could lose the chance for recovery altogether. This falls under Georgia’s modified comparative negligence rule, which states that if you’re found to be partly at fault for the slip and fall, any damages you’re awarded will be reduced according to what percentage you’re at fault. And if you are more than 50% to blame for an accident, you cannot receive money for your damages.
This is why it’s vital to have legal support as soon as possible after a slip and fall accident. While it’s admirable to want to avoid placing blame, doing so can be very costly for you.
A good slip and fall lawyer will help you assess the situation, determine what caused the accident, and help prove fault so you can seek the fullest possible financial recovery.
What About Falls in Public Places?
Many slip and fall accidents occur in public places like grocery stores, shopping malls, sidewalks, public swimming pools, amusement parks, and other venues. Property owners of any property are required to maintain their premises so they are safe for those visiting it.
This includes making sure their buildings are structurally sound, properly storing supplies and other merchandise or equipment, having adequate lighting, repairing holes or cracks, and removing or fixing any hazards as soon as they notice them.
No matter where they happen, most slip and falls are preventable and were not handled properly, resulting in your slip, fall, and injuries. When a slip and fall, and your injury, is fully caused by the property owner’s negligence, you are entitled under Georgia law to financial recovery for your costs. Costs you may be able to recover for include:
- Medical costs, including hospital bills, doctor visits, prescription medications, and surgeries
- Lost wages from time taken off work
- Travel costs to and from treatment
- Pain and suffering for emotional and other damages
A slip and fall lawyer can help calculate your full costs from the injury before filing a claim with the property owner’s insurance. They’ll also help you provide proof that the injury resulted from negligence and wouldn’t have been otherwise preventable.
Talk to a Cartersville Slip and Fall Lawyer for Free
At John Foy & Associates, we want you to be legally supported so you don’t have to bear the expensive treatments and other damages involved after a slip and fall accident.
Our attorneys have spent the last 20+ years working personal injury cases like slip and fall accidents. We never back down from the insurance company, and we know what it takes to win. For a FREE consultation to discuss your options and how we can help you, contact us today.
Call 404-400-4000, or fill out the form to your right to get started with your free consultation.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
