I’m the Victim of a Slip and Fall Accident — Do I Need a Lawyer?
After a slip and fall accident, you may feel overwhelmed and stressed as you deal with your injuries and recovery. For that reason, hiring an attorney may be the furthest thing from your mind, but it may also be the action that helps you most in the long run. After all, a lawyer can provide care and compassion as they fight for justice on your behalf.
Slip and Fall Accidents and Resulting Injuries
A “slip and fall” is the general name given to accidents involving slipping or tripping and falling, which usually results in injury. Slip and fall accidents can happen almost anywhere at any time, but they most often occur at:
- Shopping malls
- Grocery and retail stores
- Hotels and resorts
- Airports
- Office buildings
- Apartment complexes
- Stadiums and ballparks
- Amusement and water parks
- Private residences
- Parking lots and garages
Slip and fall accidents can result in extensive physical injury. Usually, injuries depend on the location of the fall and the circumstances of the incident. They could include:
- Cuts and lacerations
- Bruises
- Sprains and strains
- Broken bones
- Head and brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Facial injuries
These injuries could result in a need for extensive medical care. Additionally, certain injuries, like brain and spinal cord injuries, come with risks of developing long-term effects, like cognitive issues, nerve damage, and paralysis.
If you’ve sustained injuries in a slip and fall accident, you may have the opportunity to pursue financial recovery for your injuries and financial burdens. Thus, a lawyer could prove beneficial to your case.
Is It Necessary to Hire an Attorney After a Slip and Fall?
No law says accident victims must hire legal representation to seek compensation. However, considering the alternative, hiring a lawyer can be the best possible decision for your case.
A slip and fall attorney can provide the most qualified advice and determine how to handle your case. Your lawyer’s goal is to get you the best possible outcome and the financial recovery you need and deserve.
While you are not required to hire an attorney, handling your case alone could have negative consequences. If you want to give yourself the best opportunity of obtaining fair compensation, getting legal assistance should be a top priority.
How a Lawyer Can Benefit Your Case
To better understand why you need a lawyer for your case, it’s beneficial to learn what an attorney can do for your case. The following are only some of a slip and fall attorney’s most important tasks. When you hire a lawyer, you can rely on them to do everything necessary to get the most favorable result.
Investigating Your Slip and Fall Accident
During your consultation with your attorney, you’ll discuss your accident and provide as much detail as possible. Even so, your lawyer will still fully investigate the incident to get all of the answers they need.
Through their investigation, your attorney will gain insight into some of the most critical case details, including what caused your accident and who could be at fault. Armed with this information, they can proceed with your case.
Obtaining Evidence
Evidence is critical in personal injury cases. Consequently, your lawyer will seek to obtain relevant evidence. Making claims about your accident and what injuries you sustained is only one part; you must also have documentation to back up these claims.
Based on your case, your attorney can request and obtain certain key pieces of evidence, including but not limited to:
- Photos and videos
- Surveillance footage
- Witness statements
- Medical records and bills
Slip and fall attorneys know how to get the evidence they need and also how to use it. Therefore, the evidence your lawyer obtains can seriously strengthen your case.
Establishing Liability
If your accident occurred on another’s property, there’s a high likelihood the party in charge of that property, including the owner or tenant, could be to blame. As a result, your attorney must figure out who the responsible party is.
Your case rests on proving the other party’s fault, but this also happens to be one of the hardest parts of a slip and fall case. Fortunately, slip and fall attorneys know how to successfully establish liability to get you one step closer to financial recovery.
Calculating the Value of Your Slip and Fall Case
Every case has a monetary value. Your slip and fall attorney must calculate your damages to figure out how much your case is worth.
Depending on your situation, you could pursue compensation for some of the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation costs
- Lost earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
Your lawyer will carefully review several factors affecting the value of your case, including the type of injuries you sustained, the total cost of your medical treatment, and how your injuries have affected your life. With this information, your attorney can help ensure you get the fairest settlement.
Negotiating on Your Behalf
Getting to the finish line may require some back-and-forth with the opposing party. Negotiating a favorable settlement can be difficult, but attorneys are highly experienced. You can trust your lawyer to keep your best interests at heart throughout the negotiations.
Taking Your Case to Court
Most personal injury cases settle outside of court. However, if the opposing party refuses to settle for what your case is worth, your attorney can take your case to court. If necessary, you can rely on your lawyer to fight for you until the very end.
When Is the Right Time to Consult With an Attorney for a Slip and Fall Accident?
After a slip and fall accident, it’s best to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. There is limited time to handle your case, so time is of the essence.
When you’re ready to take action and pursue justice, the legal team at The Joel Bieber Firm is ready to assist you. Contact our firm to request your consultation.
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Types Of Slip And Fall Accident