By Marcus Fernandez
Slip and fall accidents are sometimes your own fault when you aren’t being careful, but they might also be due to someone else’s negligence. According to the Center for Disease Control, 20% of falls cause a serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury. Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries.
If you were injured after falling on someone’s property, whether a business or residence, you should consider hiring a personal injury attorney to protect your rights. Why do you need a personal injury attorney for your slip and fall case?
Slip and Fall Attorneys Can Prove Liability
The first reason you need a lawyer to help with your slip and fall accident case is to help prove liability. With this type of personal injury case, one of the bigger struggles is proving that you were not at fault for the incident, but that the person who owned the home or property was negligent. A lawyer can look at the evidence and determine the difference between you tripping due to your own negligence, and a property owner who knew it was raining and that their floors were slippery, but failed to take the right precautions. Personal injury attorneys are experienced with these types of cases and know where to begin when proving liability.
Slip and Fall Lawyers Gather Evidence and Talk to Witnesses
In addition to proving liability, the lawyers will gather other types of evidence. They will go to the scene of the accident to take pictures and will talk to different witnesses. A lawyer will communicate with people who witnessed the incident. They can also locate people who have had problems with this property in the past. If they find someone who recently had a slip and fall case on the same property, that is very useful. It proves the company or property owner knew about the issue and risk, yet still did anything about it. The lawyers will then provide this evidence to the courts in order to help you win the case.
Slip and Fall Attorneys Deal With Attorneys and Courts
Another helpful thing personal injury attorneys do in these cases is deal with other attorneys. You might enter mediation, in which the defendant’s attorney attempts to come up with a settlement that benefits both parties. You won’t have to do any of the talking during mediation, trials, or other motions through the court system. An attorney will handle all of this, in addition to helping you file claims, appeals, and settlements. If the case leads to trial, the lawyer is with you providing evidence and helping prove you were not liable for your injuries.
Regardless of the severity of your injuries, it is a good idea to speak with a lawyer to get a better understanding of your legal rights in the case of a slip and fall.
