It’s funny when someone slips and falls on TV, but real life slip and fall accidents often lead to severe injuries. In our law practice, we see many people who have slipped or tripped in Douglasville, and their injuries range from simple twisted ankles to broken bones to long term muscle, tendon, back and head injuries.
It’s not uncommon for people injured in a slip and fall accident to need surgery, medication and physical therapy, and sometimes they must learn to live with long-term pain and disability. The medical care alone can be expensive, but if you’ve suffered a slip and fall injury, you don’t have to shoulder the costs yourself. Legally, you are entitled to a financial recovery from the party that caused your injuries. And the sooner you meet with a Douglasville lawyer the better.
John Foy & Associates is an experienced personal injury law firms in Douglasville, GA that can help you get the money you deserve. From our beginnings as a small local law office, we have grown into a large and well-respected firm that is devoted solely to helping people who have been injured.
We offer a free consultation to answer your questions and help you get started on your claim. Contact us at 404-400-4000 and we’ll schedule your free consultation right away.
Do I Have a Legitimate Slip and Fall Case?
If you fell and you weren’t 100% to blame, then you probably have a case. People don’t usually fall down for no reason. Your accident may have happened because there was an obstacle you didn’t see or an unsafe condition such as a slippery floor or sidewalk. When something (or someone) else caused your injury, you’re legally not at fault.
What Are Type of Slip and Fall Claims?
We frequently see these sorts of slip and fall claims:
- Someone slips on a spilled drink or other item in a restaurant or store
- Someone trips on a street or sidewalk that’s uneven, cracked or has potholes
- Someone trips or falls on a step that’s not clearly marked
- Someone stumbles because there’s not enough lighting for them to see
- Someone falls from a window or balcony
Legally, we call these “premises liability” cases. Property owners have a legal obligation to make sure that their property is safe for the people who visit it. When owners don’t make their premises safe, they are “negligent.” Negligence doesn’t mean that the owner intentionally created an unsafe condition or meant to hurt you.
It just means that the owner was careless. When a property owner’s negligence causes you to be injured, the owner’s insurance must compensate you by paying your medical bills and other costs.
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What Should I Do If I Am Injured in a Fall in Douglasville?
If you slip and fall, it’s important to act right away to protect your rights—even if you don’t think you were badly hurt. Many slip and fall injuries seem minor at first and develop into something more serious over time. Follow these tips:
- Tell the store manager or property owner you fell. Be sure to talk to someone in charge, not just an ordinary employee. Make sure they know you were injured, and get the name, job title and contact information of the person you talked to.
- Take photos. Use your cell phone camera or enlist a friend’s help to photograph everything that will help tell the story of what happened: where you fell, any unsafe conditions that led to your fall, and your injuries. Photos provide dramatic evidence, so try to snap some before any obstacles or hazardous conditions are removed.
- Talk to witnesses. If there were people around when you fell, they may have seen what happened. Ask if they saw your fall, or the unsafe condition that led to it—such as a wet floor with no warning sign. Get their names and contact information.
- Get medical attention. Even if you think your injuries will heal on their own, see a doctor right away. Slip and fall injuries often get more severe if left untreated. Also, an immediate trip to the doctor shows that you believe your injuries could be serious. This is important because insurance companies like to claim that slip and fall victims exaggerate their injuries.
Your insurance company representatives may sound friendly, but always remember that insurance companies don’t want to pay any more than they have to, even if you are badly hurt. Avoid saying anything that might sound as if you think you are to blame for your accident, and never make your injuries sound more minor than they are. Something as small as apologizing to a store owner can hurt your chances of a fair settlement.
What Should I Do If I Fall in Someone’s House?
You have a right to recover money for your injuries no matter where your accident occurred—and that includes falls in people’s homes. Many people are afraid to pursue these claims because they don’t want to blame or upset friends, neighbors or family members. But your claim isn’t about finding fault with your friends, it’s a private business matter between you and the insurance company. You have a right to the money you need to take care of yourself.
How Long do I Have to File a Slip and Fall Case in Douglasville?
State and federal laws establish deadlines for filing slip and fall cases in the City of Douglasville. The deadlines that apply to your case may vary, depending on the exact circumstances of your slip and fall.
- Many slip and fall victims have up to two years to file a claim.
- But others may be required to file a claim within the first several weeks after the accident.
It’s important to take these deadlines seriously. If you miss them, you forego any right to recover money for your accident, and the local courts will probably dismiss your case. Even if you file a claim within the deadline, waiting can make your case harder to win because it can be more difficult to develop evidence and convince the insurance company that you have serious injuries.
Speak with a Douglasville Slip and Fall Lawyer for Free
Our legal system is designed to ensure that no one pays for an injury that was not their fault. John Foy & Associates has been representing slip and fall victims for more than two decades. Let us help you get the recovery you’re entitled to.
Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
