Atlanta
Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer

Slip and falls are one of the leading causes of unintentional deaths and injuries in the United States. If you or a loved one has had an accident, you are probably in pain, experiencing loss of work, and in need of medical help. You also need a slip and fall accident attorney in Atlanta.

John Foy & Associates is one of the largest personal injury firms in Atlanta, GA. We only practice personal injury law and have been representing the injured for over 20 years. We’re here to help you recover medically and get you the best possible financial settlement.

The Most Common Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents may not sound too serious, but they can often result in severe injuries. Recovery from these accidents can be a long process and cost a lot of money. Slip and fall accidents most commonly occur due to:

• Unlit walkways
• Building code violations
• Spilled drinks in the grocery store aisle
• Boxes falling off of a high shelf

While these are the most common types of slip and fall accidents, they only make up a small fraction of the possibilities for potential causes of a slip and fall accident. No matter what led to your slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages.

Were you injured at work or in a public building? These types of cases are called premises liability, a legal concept that comes into play when someone gets injured as the result of an unsafe or defective condition on someone’s property. Some of our cases have involved:

• Apartment complex assaults
• Falling ceilings
• Leakage in bathroom or tub overflows in apartments
• Collapsed decks
• Faulty staircases
• Holes in a parking lot

These accidents happen more than one may imagine. For a case to be valid in Georgia, this question must be answered: Did the property owner know of or should have known about the hazard, and was our client not aware or did not know about the hazard?

Proving liability is complicated, and the stakes are high. You should contact a slip and fall lawyer immediately. If you have any questions, give us a call. It’s much better to ask and get the answers you need now.

What Types of Injuries Justify a Slip and Fall Lawsuit in Atlanta?

These cases are very complex, and the key is proving liability. Having said that, if you were hurt at all, you should call us. We will help determine if there is a case or not. A delay will hurt your case.

It is also essential to get checked out by a doctor after a slip and fall accident. Injuries that may seem mild at the time, can become serious if left untreated. It will also become difficult to prove the source of the injury if you do not get a medical diagnosis soon after getting hurt.

When to Hire a Slip and Fall Lawyer

There are many steps you can take to help yourself after a slip and fall accident. If you are in a position to do so, it will be in your best interest to:

• Take all the photos you can at the time
• Report the incident to a manager
• Write down the names and numbers of witnesses
• Seek medical attention immediately

However, beyond these steps, it is best to leave things up to the professionals. While it is possible to recover compensation for an accident on your own, you will likely be able to secure far more money with the help of an attorney. An experienced Atlanta slip and fall lawyer can investigate your case, determine liability, and handle all the necessary paperwork.

Often our investigators will return to the scene with you to recreate the incident. Our team will contact any witnesses and take the case from there. We will go through all the steps of the pretrial process and represent you in court, if necessary.

Another great benefit of hiring a slip and fall accident lawyer is that you won’t need to be present during much of our work. Your next job is to get better. If you need to see a doctor, follow the treatment plan until you are at 100% health. In the rare case of deposition, court time, or mediation, we’ll be with you every step of the way.

What Is the Statute of Limitations on a Slip and Fall in Georgia?

In most cases, Georgia Code § 9-3-33 gives you two years after an accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, in certain cases, the statute of limitations can be shorter. For example, if you are filing a claim against a municipality or government entity, you will have far less time to file a lawsuit than normal.

If you fail to file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires, your options for recovering compensation for your injuries will likely drop down to zero. An experienced slip and fall accident lawyer will be able to quickly identify if any special circumstances affect your timeline and make sure that you don’t lose your chance to get the money you need.

There are many reasons why you should get started on your case as soon as possible. Beyond making sure that you meet all deadlines and protecting your right to recover compensation, hiring an attorney early can help put you in the best position to win your case. Delays can lead to lost or corrupted evidence and less reliable witness testimony with each passing day.

Atlanta Slip and Fall FAQs

Let a knowledgeable slip and fall lawyer provide answers to your frequently asked questions.

Who Is Liable in a Slip and Fall Accident?

The law is the same no matter where you are. You may have a premises liability case if you were injured at a business or a private residence. Having insurance doesn’t guarantee no one will get hurt. A party is liable if they know about a hazard and don’t take action to fix it. 

Firm founder John Foy gives some examples: “If there’s a hole in your backyard, and I walk into it in broad daylight, you’re not liable. But if I open your basement door and I assume there’s a step there, and there is no step, then you are liable.” We must prove the property owner had superior knowledge.

We’re not going to sue your friends or family members if you were injured while on their property. Instead, we will deal with their insurance adjuster, and no one else has to know about it. We won’t put your friend or loved one in front of a jury. We will make a claim against their insurance carrier and get you compensation from the insurer directly.

How Much Money Can You Get from a Slip and Fall?

The amount of money you are able to recover in a slip and fall accident can vary greatly depending on the damages you sustained. You will likely be eligible to recover a wide range of damages after a slip and fall accident. A slip and fall attorney in Atlanta can help you calculate applicable damages in your case.

While you may only be able to recover a few thousand dollars for a minor injury, with severe injuries, it is possible that your case could be worth millions. The damages you can recover can be divided between economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.

Economic damages are the losses you suffer that have a direct impact on your finances. These damages include any money that you are forced to spend or any outcome that you miss out on because of your injury. These damages can be both current and future expenses. Common economic damages include:

• Missed income
• Lost earning capability
• Medical bills
• Future medical expenses
• Property damage

Non-economic damages cover all the other losses that you suffer as a result of your accident. These damages can often be substantial and have a long-lasting impact on your life. Non-economic damages can never be properly replaced. Because of this, the amount of money awarded for these damages is typically significant. Common non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering
• Permanent disability
• Disfigurement
• Decreased quality of life
• Loss of consortium

Punitive damages are not about the losses you suffer. Instead, these damages focus on the actions of the at-fault party. Punitive damages are rarely awarded in slip and fall accident cases. They only apply if the actions of the liable party were criminally negligent or carried out with the express intent of causing harm.

After an accident, we’ll gather your medical bills and work with you and your employer to total up the time you missed from work, through no fault of your own. Calculating pain and suffering is more complicated and often is ascertained through tangible and intangible evidence. We don’t come up with any numbers until you have recovered 100% or as much as you medically can.

We discourage our clients from taking “pre-suit” loans while waiting for a payout. These loans are not regulated in the same way as regular loans. The companies can charge more interest than allowed by traditional venues because if there’s no settlement, the loans do not have to be repaid. However, we do have preferred companies with whom we work if you need money now.

How Can John Foy & Associates Help With Your Slip and Fall Case?

Insurance companies and retail institutions want to settle quickly and pay you as little as possible. They have legions of attorneys who want the best for their client, the insurance company. No matter how nice they sound on the phone, you are vulnerable and alone without an attorney. You need the experts at John Foy & Associates to represent your interests. 

Insurance adjusters want to talk immediately with the victim, and most people’s natural inclination is, “I’ll just tell them the truth.” However, even if the accident was not, in any way, your fault, the insurance companies have many tricks to help them use the truth against you. By having a slip and fall lawyer deal with the insurance adjuster, you can neutralize their tactics.

Contact Our Atlanta Slip and Fall Attorneys Today

Our team of experienced Atlanta slip and fall accident lawyers at John Foy & Associates is here to help you get the compensation you need. Give us a call, fill out our online contact form, or use our chat tool to get a free consultation today. 

We’ll review your case, lay out your options for how to proceed, and answer any questions you may have. We have a dedicated team of associates answering calls 24/7, 365 days a year.