Prairieville Slip and Fall Attorney
A slip-and-fall claim is one of the most common types of injuries in premises liability claims. These claims hold property owners liable for their failure to address hazards that lead to injury for their lawful guests. Serious slip-and-falls can result in broken bones, soft tissue injuries, and even traumatic brain injuries. A skilled Prairieville slip and fall lawyer can help injured individuals determine if they have a valid compensation claim for an accident on someone else’s property.
Murphy Law Firm: Experienced Attorneys in Premises Liability
For decades, our team of trusted personal injury lawyers at Murphy Law Firm, has helped those in Louisiana communities dealing with costly and painful injuries that happen because someone else was negligent. Premises liability claims like slip-and-fall accidents can be exceptionally complex, but our team has extensive experience investigating these claims, determining fault, and calculating damages. We can help you hold negligent property owners and their insurers liable.
The team at Murphy Law Firm works to cover your losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and non-economic damages. We want to help you get back to your life with the financial support you deserve.
What Is a Slip-and-Fall Claim?
Property owners have a responsibility to ensure they maintain safe premises. They hold a level of duty of care for individuals who are legally on their premises. This duty of care differs depending on the property, the type of property owner, the type of guest, and other factors.
In many cases, the property owner is responsible for fixing or warning guests of known or foreseeable hazards. If they do not, and someone is injured on their property, they can be held liable. It’s important to note, however, that property owners are generally not liable for injuries sustained by trespassers that result from property hazards.
When an injured person files a claim, it is called a premises liability claim. A slip-and-fall claim is one of the most common types of premises liability claims. This kind of accident happens because of slick surfaces, tripping hazards, improper safety barriers, and other reasons. These hazards and the resulting injuries can happen in many locations, including someone’s home, a mall, a government building, another place of business, or a rented property. Slip and fall case settlements are determined based on the specific circumstances, including whether the property owner was negligent in addressing or preventing the hazard.
Prairieville Slip and Fall Lawyer
What If I Am Partially at Fault for My Slip-and-Fall Accident?
You could still recover some compensation if you were partially at fault for the accident, but it is even more important that you work with an attorney. Property owner insurers often try to claim you were fully or partially at fault because the hazard was obvious. An attorney can determine if that is accurate, as well as how or if it could affect your compensation.
If the court determines that you are partially to blame, this can limit your total damages by the percentage you were found to be at fault. The support of an attorney is important to limit this percentage as much as possible and maximize the compensation you are eligible to receive.
If you were not to blame for the accident, but the insurer is claiming you were, your attorney can work to find evidence of the other party’s fault and prove that you were not to blame.
What Are Common Reasons for Slip-and-Fall Injuries?
There are many hazards and circumstances that can lead to serious injuries on another person’s property. These include:
- Broken or nonexistent handrails
- Cracked or otherwise broken flooring or sidewalks
- Unmarked changes in ground elevation
- Dim and insufficient lighting
- Unsafe staircases
- Spills or slick floors
- Recently polished or waxed flooring
- Loose carpeting, rugs, or floorboards
- Parking lot potholes
- Obstructions and debris in walkways
- Loose cords, especially across walkways
These are not the only hazards that property owners in Prairieville, Louisiana, must remain aware of and fix. There are many different dangerous situations that can result in an injured guest and lead to a premises liability claim.
FAQs
The amount that slip-and-fall lawyers may charge depends on the attorney; however, most premises liability lawyers charge a contingency fee. This is a percentage of the final settlement or verdict if the case is successful.
If the attorney cannot recover compensation, the injured individual typically does not owe attorney fees. This structure helps injured people secure the legal support they need without adding to their financial burdens. You are more likely to get higher compensation with an attorney.
You can negotiate a slip-and-fall settlement by calculating your damages, proving the property owner was negligent and that you did not share fault for your injury. This is a complex series of tasks, made much harder when you are already injured.
It is easier to negotiate a slip-and-fall settlement with a knowledgeable attorney in Louisiana. Your attorney can investigate each of these elements and has significant negotiating experience. An attorney also knows how to deal with and combat underhanded insurance company tactics.
Slip-and-fall cases are often hard to win because they are very complex and can be difficult to navigate without skilled legal representation. Each case is unique, and you must be able to prove that a property owner knew about the hazard that caused your injuries and failed to address it reasonably. You may also need to prove that you did not contribute to the accident you were injured by.
Most slip-and-fall cases do not go to trial and are instead resolved through a negotiated settlement. A case is more likely to go to trial if:
- Fault is contested, and/or each party is partially at fault for the incident
- The supportive evidence is not overwhelming
- The insurance company is unwilling to settle for a reasonable amount
- Your injuries are severe
Most cases settle because it requires less cost, time, stress, and publicity for all parties.
Contact Our Lawyers Team to Get Help with Slip and Fall Cases
If you were injured on someone else’s property, it is important to work with legal support quickly. There is a short window of time in which you are eligible to file a claim, and this window can be even shorter in specific cases. An experienced attorney at Murphy Law Firm can help you determine whether you have valid grounds to file a claim and help you investigate, but only if you act in time. Contact our firm today to learn how we can help you.
Your Path to Legal Resolution Starts with Murphy Law Firm.
When you choose Murphy Law Firm, you gain access to a team of experienced attorneys with a proven track record of success. We understand the importance of trust, and we strive to build lasting relationships with our clients by delivering exceptional results.
