What You Need to Know About Slip and Fall Injuries in Phoenix

shutterstock_84776038When someone slips in an area that was not properly labeled as hazardous and they sustain an injury, there’s a good chance they have a case they can take to court. Falling down in a store that results in a hospital visit is a serious situation that needs to be handled properly. If a store manager or owner was aware of the hazardous conditions on their property and did nothing about them or didn’t label them, they need to be held responsible for any injuries their negligence caused. However, there are many things a victim in one of these cases needs to be aware of.

Establishments are Required to Maintain a Secure Premises

One of the most important things a victim needs to know about their injury is whether or not they actually have a case. If the hazardous area in the store was properly labeled as such and someone still had an accident in the area, they will not have a case. A store can not be held responsible for someone’s injury if they knew of the hazardous area and had signs displaying this information.

In order to have a slip and fall case, it has to be proven that the establishment where the injury occurred was aware of the hazardous area in their store and did nothing about it. Some of the most common slip and fall injuries are because people tripped over parts of carpet that were sticking up and went unattended by the employees. If a floor is wet and no signs are put up within a short period of time, then a victim will likely have a case. However, there are certain situations where someone may fall in a store and not be able to get compensation for their injury. For example, most stores are not required to inspect their floors more than once per hour. If the spill happened five minutes before someone slipped in the puddle, there’s a good chance that the store will not be held liable for the incident because this is not enough time for an employee to notice the spill and do something about it. However, if the puddle was on the floor because of a leaky roof that has obviously been in bad condition for weeks, the store will be held responsible for the victim’s injuries.

What do Lawyers Seek in a Slip and Fall Case?

Many victims are wondering what will happen when they take their case to court. A lawyer will be able to seek compensation for many things that will help a victim out. First of all, medical expenses are going to be paid for if the injury is proven to have happened because of an establishment’s negligence. If someone is sent to the hospital when they were just expecting to get some grocery shopping done, they would not have been required to pay for these bills if it weren’t for the store’s mishap, therefore the store will be held responsible for these expenses. Also, a lawyer will be able to seek compensation for someone’s time off of work. If the injury a victim sustained caused them to be hospitalized for a week, they will have to take time off of work during that period. The store responsible for the victim’s injury will likely be ordered to compensate them for losing valuable time at work. Another thing that many lawyers seek in these cases is compensation for pain and suffering. Many people go through extreme stress if they have to randomly take time off of work because they are worried about losing their job. Dealing with this stress is something that wouldn’t have happened if the victim was simply able to grocery shop and go about their normal life.

Important Things to Keep in Mind About a Slip and Fall Case

These cases are some of the hardest to prove in court because the establishment where the injury occurred is likely going to have a team of lawyers that will fight for the store. This is why it’s so important to have a reliable lawyer that has experience with slip and fall cases. Also, most establishments have security cameras recording their property at all times, both inside and out. If an injury victim was seen hopping around and jumping all over the store, there’s a good chance they will not have a case. These actions are going to increase their chance of sustaining an injury, regardless of where they were. The actions a victim was displaying in a store is going to be a big determining factor in their case overall.

A slip and fall lawyer is going to find out many things that will assist in a victim’s case. They will be able to investigate the store in question to find out if they had enough time to become aware of the hazardous area, if they have any inspection protocol in place that requires them to look for these things, and how the lighting in the area of the injury is. All of these things are going to play a factor in whether or not a victim will be able to win their case. Someone who is seriously injured needs to keep this in mind so they select the right lawyer to represent them in court.

Those who have been involved in a slip and fall injury within the state of Arizona need to get in touch with Tobler Law. This law firm has an excellent track record when it comes to getting their clients the money they deserve from an establishment’s negligence that resulted in an injury. There’s no need to worry about being responsible for expensive medical bills and losing employment if a case is legit and proper legal representation is taken advantage of.

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