A simple slip and fall can have surprisingly serious consequences. For some people, slip and fall injuries mean months of missed time from work. But you don’t have to pay for an accident that wasn’t your fault. A Sandy Springs slip-and-fall lawyer can help you get a full financial recovery.
At John Foy & Associates we understand slip and fall claims. We’ve been recovering money for slip and fall victims for more than two decades. In that time, we’ve expanded from a small local office to become one of the premier law firms in the state of Georgia. Importantly, we only represent accident victims – never insurance companies.
Do I Have a Valid Slip and Fall Claim?
If you fell and were hurt, you likely have a claim. While some falls happen because of a medical condition, most are due to some obstacle, hazard, or unsafe situation. Healthy people don’t just fall for no reason. This means that the accident was not your fault, and you probably have a claim.
We often see valid slip-and-fall claims resulting from these types of accidents:
- Slipping on a spilled drink or other product in a store, restaurant, or food court
- Tripping over uneven spots in the pavement
- Tripping on a step that wasn’t marked
- Falling while going up or downstairs
- Stumbling in an area with inadequate lighting
- Falling through a window or over a railing
When an accident happens because of unsafe conditions on someone’s property, it’s known as a “premises liability” case. Owners of property are supposed to maintain it and keep it safe for people who visit.
When property owners don’t live up to this legal duty, they can be held responsible for any injuries or damage that occur. Legally, they are “negligent.” A negligent property owner may be a nice person who didn’t mean to hurt anyone – but because they didn’t keep their property safe, their homeowner’s insurance must pay for your loss.
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Should I Get a Slip and Fall Lawyer in Sandy Springs?
If you have any reason to believe that a property owner’s negligence was responsible for your slip and fall, then yes, you should get in touch with a personal injury lawyer in Sandy Springs. Any injury, even one that seems minor, can be much more expensive than you expect. You deserve compensation for your damages.
With a Sandy Springs slip-and-fall attorney from our firm, you don’t need to worry about paying expensive fees upfront just for your claim to end up unsuccessful. We work on a contingency-fee-basis, which means we don’t get paid unless you do. There’s no risk to hiring us to handle your personal injury claim while you focus on recovering.
You shouldn’t try to handle your claim yourself, though. People who represent themselves during their suit often hit hurdles that they can’t get past–namely, the other party’s lawyer and the insurance company. Having a skilled Sandy Springs personal injury lawyer by your side significantly increases your chances of getting the compensation you need.
If you’re still on the fence, you can always get an initial consultation for absolutely free. At your meeting with one of our slip-and-fall attorneys in Silver Springs, they’ll listen to your story and tell you what they can do for you.
What Is the Average Settlement for a Slip and Fall Accident?
Every time someone slips and falls, the situation is different, and so there is not a good “average” number that will help you understand how much to expect from your settlement. Good compensation for your injury is an amount of money that will cover all of your damages and expenses.
Your settlement can range anywhere from thousands of dollars to potentially millions. It will depend on a range of factors, including:
- How bad your injuries are
- If your injuries require any physical therapy or ongoing treatment in the future
- How much fault the property owner had
- Whether you exhibited any negligence in your accident
When you hire a slip-and-fall lawyer in Sandy Springs, they will calculate your damages, both those that you’ve already paid and those that you’re likely to pay in the future.
What Should I Do If I Slipped and Fell in Sandy Springs?
Your priority should always be to get any emergency medical treatment you need. If you do not appear to be badly injured, however, it is very important that you take some steps to advocate for yourself and document what happened. We recommend that you do the following:
- If you fell at a business, report it. Tell the business owner or manager how you fell and make sure they understand that you were injured. Always talk to someone in charge, not just a clerk or waiter, and get contact information for the person you talked to.
- Take pictures. Use your cell phone camera to quickly snap some shots that show the scene, the object or hazard that caused you to fall, and any visible injuries. Some hazards, like spilled drinks, tend to get cleaned up quickly after a fall, and your photos are a compelling way to show exactly how the accident happened.
- Speak with witnesses. Talk to anyone who saw you fall, or who noticed the hazard. Get their names and other contact information.
- Visit a doctor. Many slip and fall injuries get worse if they aren’t treated right away, and the longer you wait to get treatment, the longer your recovery period is likely to be. When you see a doctor right after the accident, it shows that your injuries are legitimate and reduces the chance that the insurance company will try to wriggle out of paying you by saying you are exaggerating the severity of your injuries.
Insurance company representatives may seem friendly, but they are working for a business that’s more interested in making a profit than in getting you the money you need to pay for treatment. Always be careful what you say after an accident, and never take the blame. Even saying “I’m sorry” to a store manager can be used against you.
What If I Fell at Someone’s House or Apartment?
You don’t have to fall at a business to be entitled to a full financial recovery. But many people mistakenly believe that if they fell at a friend’s house, they’ll have to take their friend to court. No one wants to do that. In fact, your friend’s homeowner’s insurance policy will handle your claim, privately, from start to finish. You don’t have to blame your friends or accuse them of anything, and they won’t have to pay out of pocket for your injuries.
Is There a Time Limit for Slip and Fall Claims in Sandy Springs?
Yes. The City of Sandy Springs follows strict deadlines established by state and federal laws, namely the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §9-3-33. These deadlines give you only a limited amount of time to make your claim. The deadline that applies to your case will depend on your particular situation.
- Many people have as much as two years to file a claim.
- Some cases have a much shorter deadline–sometimes only a couple of months.
The Fulton County courts won’t consider claims filed after the deadline. That means that you will lose your right to recover money for your injuries. In addition, the longer you wait to file your claim, the harder it will be to prove your case, and the longer you’ll have to wait to get money. Your best option is to get a lawyer working on your case right away.
Talk to a Sandy Springs Slip-and-Fall Attorney for Free
The Sandy Springs slip-and-fall lawyers at John Foy & Associates don’t want you to pay for an accident that was someone else’s fault. Let us offer you a free consultation and show you how we can put our 20 years of experience to work for you.
Call us or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form