Suffering An Injury In A Slip-And-Fall Accident
A slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident can result in serious injuries that leave you with a stack of medical bills, time away from work and other problems that you never anticipated. Most families cannot afford these kinds of injuries interrupting their lives. When you are injured in one of these accidents, you need to talk to a law firm that will aggressively be by your side throughout your accident case.
At Mark L. Karno & Associates, LLC, our personal injury lawyers can help you recover with the compensation you need to get back to life as you once knew it, before you were injured. We have successfully handled several slip-and-fall accident claims as well as many other types of premises liability matters at businesses and properties throughout Chicago. Contact us to schedule a free case evaluation.
Common Slip-And-Fall Injuries
As attorneys, we see a variety of serious injuries that come from slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents. These include:
- Traumatic brain injury resulting from head trauma
- Neck and back injuries, including spinal cord injuries, such as paralysis
- Complex orthopedic injuries like joint fractures
- Broken hips, ankles and other broken bones
- Torn tendons and ligaments
These injuries can cause severe pain and lead to medical expenses that you can’t pay without assistance. Our premises liability attorneys can help you hold the owners responsible for their negligence so you can pay your bills and cover your losses.
Frequently Ask Questions about Slip and Falls
Why Hire a Lawyer for a Slip-and-Fall Accident?
While such incidents are common, many people don’t appreciate the serious injuries that can accommodate slip-and-fall accidents. A broken hip, concussion, or injury to the neck or back often lead to a lifetime of medical issues. Some victims suffer paralysis or brain injuries.
Slip-and-fall accidents happen outdoors, in apartment buildings, and places of business, including nursing homes. As is often the case, these accidents occur because of a failure of owners to make their property safe. Such accidents often result in injuries to older adults or young children. Nursing home residents, for example, are often victims of slip-and-fall injuries because the staff fails to take into account the safety of its residents. Victims of such injuries often suffer enormous medical costs and loss of wages due to the inability to return to work.
Because slip-and-fall accidents continue to occur, premises liability lawsuits are in place. A premises liability case is one where injured parties hold property owners accountable for their negligence. These sorts of lawsuits allow for injury victims to pay their bills and take care of their families while injured.
What Are Some Common Causes Of A Slip-And-Fall Accident That May Lead To A Lawsuit?
Common defects would include:
- Cracked or crumbling pavement
- Ice on the sidewalk caused by unnatural conditions
- Defective carpeting leading to a fall
- Broken handrails or railings in hallways
- Slippery surfaces possibly caused by water or fluids on floors
- The failure to warn of a danger on the property that could lead to a fall
- Inadequate lighting
- A failure to warn visitors of dangers on the property
There may be other causes as well. Any defect in the property that led to an injury on the property and that the owner was aware of could be the basis for a lawsuit.
How Do I Find Out Who Is At Fault if I Slipped On Someone Else’s Property?
Discovering who is at fault is often difficult. You may fall on a neighbor’s sidewalk, but where the injury occurs may be on rental property. Or a slip-and-fall accident may come about because a snow removal company failed to remove the snow, or downspouts have redirected water from the roof onto the sidewalk.
Slip-and-fall lawsuits often involve multiple parties. It is important to name all parties at fault in a lawsuit or risk not receiving full compensation. An attorney can make certain that you name all of the responsible parties in the suit and do not miss out on compensation payments.
How Can I Recover Compensation Following A Slip-And-Fall Accident?
Recovering compensation following a slip-and-fall accident is not easy. While you may understand that the person who owned the property was responsible for the accident, establishing liability is challenging. What if they deny liability? How do you prove they are responsible? What if they do not have enough money to pay your medical costs and other expenses?
A skilled premises liability attorney understands what steps to take to ensure you receive full and fair compensation for your injury claim. Attorneys have as resources investigators who can prove that a homeowner or business owner was negligent in the upkeep of their property. They can speak to medical experts who can determine the severity of your injuries.
What If I Don’t Want To Sue A Neighbor Or A Friend After Falling On Their Property?
Where there is property, there is a requirement to own property insurance. It is the insurer rather than the property owner who would ultimately take care of your medical costs and lost wages, pain and suffering, disability and disfigurement damages.
Can I Negotiate A Settlement With Insurance Companies And Negligent Property Owners?
Homeowners and business owners often do not have the financial resources to help slip-and-fall accident victims out. However, they should have property insurance. A personal injury attorney can locate applicable insurance coverage that can help cover medical costs, lost wages, and other expenses that are the result of injuries suffered in a slip-and-fall accident.
Insurance companies and property owners often contest personal injury and premises liability claims. In other instances, they may provide a settlement offer that will not in any way meet your short- and long-term needs. Attorneys can negotiate for a better settlement offer. If no offer is forthcoming, they can take insurance companies and negligent property owners to court.
What Will It Cost To Hire An Attorney In A Slip And Fall Case?
Just like any personal injury case, Illinois lawyers charge fees for premises liability cases on a contingency fee basis. You will not have to pay any upfront legal fees or out-of-pocket expenses. You will not have to pay anything unless the lawyer locates compensation for you.
While this does mean that you will have to give up part of your compensation for the services of an attorney, please understand that the services of a skilled premises liability attorney are invaluable. Even after considering legal fees, those with attorney representation generally receive much more compensation than those without representation at all.
How Much Is A Slip-And-Fall Accident Injury Worth?
It is difficult to calculate how much such a case is worth. Every case is different. Recovery may depend upon the severity of the injuries, the age of the person injured, the wage loss, how the accident occurred, and a variety of other factors.
An injury lawyer from our firm can speak to you and sort out the issues you face during a free initial consultation. We offer representation to individuals in Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois. Due to our experience in trying such cases, we can help you understand all of your legal options. When necessary, we can negotiate for the best settlement offer or file a lawsuit to try your case in court in order to help you obtain fair compensation.
How A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
An important goal of a premises liability case is to hold the property owner or business owner responsible for your injuries because of negligent property maintenance or an unsafe condition that exists on the premises.
At our law firm, our attorneys have more than 30 years of experience representing personal injury clients. We know how to combat the arguments of the property owner or their insurance company to get our clients the compensation they deserve.
It is not uncommon for a premises liability claim to become extremely complicated. It is often difficult to establish liability on the part of the negligent parties, and this is where we come in. We use our skill and knowledge to thoroughly investigate your case, and help show that the owners were aware of the dangers that led to your injury.
Were You Hurt In An Accident On Someone Else’s Property?
Contact the law offices of Mark L. Karno & Associates, LLC to talk with to an experienced Chicago slip-and-fall accident lawyer about your case in a free initial consultation. We take all personal injury claims, including slip-and-fall cases, on a contingency fee basis. We don’t charge you fees until we win or settle or your case. Se habla espanol.