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What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Slip & Fall Lawyer?
Slip and fall accidents can result in serious injuries
Slip and fall accidents can result in serious injuries
According to the Center for Disease Control, there are more than 1 million injuries from slip and fall accidents in the U.S. each year. Additionally, Florida has the highest percentage of senior citizens in the nation, an age group leading the pack in terms of the frequency of severe injuries from slip and fall accidents.
The slip and fall attorneys at Osborne & Francis, PLLC, understand the impact a slip and fall injury can have. We are committed to uncovering the exact cause of your accident and ensuring the responsible party is held accountable.
Watch our video to learn what to do after a slip and fall accident.
Continue reading to learn how an attorney can help you with your injury case.
Table of Contents
What Is Considered a Slip and Fall Accident?
How Much Should I Settle For a Slip and Fall Case?
How Are Slip and Fall Accidents Defined Under the Law?
What Injuries Are Commonly Associated With Slip and Fall Cases?
How Prevalent Are Slip and Fall Accidents?
Are Slip and Fall Cases Hard to Prove?
How Can a Slip and Fall Attorney Help Me With My Case?
Slip & Fall FAQs
What Is Considered a Slip and Fall Accident?
Slip and fall cases are brought under premises liability law in Florida, where property owners must prevent unreasonable hazards for anyone entering their building or grounds. Although a property does not have to be perfectly safe, if the owner could have foreseen the danger in some way and did not act to prevent it, they may be held liable.
For instance:
How Much Should I Settle For a Slip and Fall Case?
A fair settlement for a slip and fall case will depend on the damages suffered by the victim. Damages reflect how a person has been impacted by their injuries economically, non-economically, and punitively.
Economic damages are tangible and easy to assess after examining medical bills and lost income. Non-economic damages are intangible and usually require an experienced slip and fall attorney to assess mental anguish and pain accurately. Punitive damages differ in that they are awarded as punishment to deter similar behavior in the future.
A typical slip and fall claim may be entitled to the following:
The amount collected in a slip and fall claim will vary depending on many factors, including the degree of injury, treatments required, as well as the skill of the attorney handling the case.
Slip and fall accidents can cause severe injuries and lead to disability. At Osborne & Francis, our slip and fall accident attorneys have an extensive track record of success.
How Are Slip and Fall Accidents Defined Under the Law?
Slip and fall accidents fall under the legal concept of premises liability. Generally, property owners are responsible for keeping any persons on their land, in their house, business, or other entity reasonably safe from danger.
Under Florida law, the above “responsibility” refers to the legal doctrine, duty of care. For example, suppose a customer enters a store and trips over a broken tile. The store owner would have a duty to keep the customer safe.
Conversely, if an intoxicated burglar breaks into the store after hours, stumbles, and falls, the store owner would be immune from liability. According to the trespasser statute, a property owner does not owe a duty of care to a trespasser if:
In addition, the Florida statute asserts that if a person is injured in a slip and fall accident on property that is not their own, they may be entitled to recover damages, provided one or more of the following circumstances can be met:
All are extremely serious and can require extensive surgeries and rehabilitation for a full recovery. Our slip and fall attorneys present your claim for damages based on:
What Injuries Are Commonly Associated With Slip and Fall Cases?
Injuries commonly associated with slip and fall cases include:
Establishing the extent of your injuries through medical documentation is important to the success of your case.
How Prevalent Are Slip and Fall Accidents?
Slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of injury across the country and are responsible for an estimated 8 million emergency room visits per year. In Florida, slips and falls account for the most non-fatal injury hospital admissions every year.
An in-depth study into Florida’s slip and fall accidents revealed:
Hip fractures were also the cause of 25% of fall-related fatalities. Slip and fall accidents can lead to serious and devastating injuries.
Are Slip and Fall Cases Hard to Prove?
Slip and fall cases, a type of premises liability, are often challenging to prove. The success of a claim depends on an attorney’s ability to establish:
The most significant challenge to slip and fall cases is proving negligence. Under the legal definition of negligence, a person or entity can be held responsible for injuries sustained on their property if they failed to act in a reasonable manner.
A reasonable or unreasonable act is determined by what a person would do under similar circumstances. For example:
If you have been injured due to the negligence of a property owner, a slip and fall attorney can evaluate your claim and help establish liability and negligence by:
Circumstantial evidence is commonly used in slip and fall injury cases. Evidence that is used together to imply a fact is circumstantial evidence.
For instance, suppose a livestock veterinarian visits a farm and trips over a stack of old boards strewn down a walkway. To prove that the property owner was aware of the hazard, footprints around the area could be considered circumstantial evidence.
How Can a Slip and Fall Attorney Help Me With My Case?
Slip and fall accidents can cause severe injuries and lead to disability. At Osborne & Francis, our slip and fall accident attorneys have an extensive track record of success.
We offer our clients a boutique-style personal injury service while maintaining aggressive representation. We will meet with you personally and give you the individual attention you deserve.
Our lawyers are dedicated to your recovery. With over 50 years of combined experience, we will provide the legal guidance you need to see you through. Contact us at (561) 293-2600 or online to schedule a free initial consultation regarding your slip and fall claim.
Slip & Fall FAQs
Some common examples of slip and fall accidents involve:
Slip and falls are the leading cause of accidental injuries nationwide. An estimated 20.8% of all emergency room visits are due to a slip and fall accident.
A slip-and-fall lawsuit from start to finish can range from 3 months to years. Every accident is different. Many factors influence the length of a case, including:
If you have been hurt in a slip and fall accident, it is best to consult an experienced personal injury attorney for a case evaluation.
Generally, property owners can be held liable for a slip and fall injury. Slip and fall accidents fall under premises liability. Premises liability is a legal doctrine that holds owners or agents responsible for negligent behavior that creates hazards or dangers on their property.
Some examples of who can be held liable for a slip and fall injury include:
A slip and fall attorney can help you with your case by:
Slip and fall claims can be complex. A slip and fall attorney can guide victims through the process and fight to recover the compensation they deserve. Contact Osborne & Francis today at (561) 293-2600 if you need legal representation for your claim.
