Slips and falls often lead to painful and sometimes severe injuries. While many falls occur in homes, slips and falls are also common in public places such as stores, restaurants, or sidewalks. When property owners fail to keep these areas clean and free of hazards, they can be held responsible.
If you have been injured because of hazardous conditions on another’s property, contact our New Haven personal injury lawyers as soon as possible.
The New Haven slip and fall accident lawyers of Jonathan Perkins Injury Law can help you understand your legal options and help you pursue full and fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
What Are Some Challenges in a Slip and Fall Claim?
Pursuing a slip and fall injury claim can present several obstacles that an experienced lawyer can help with:
Proving the Property Owner Was Negligent
To recover compensation, you must establish that the owner failed to maintain reasonably safe conditions and was negligent. This requires gathering evidence like photos, videos, incident reports, and witness statements to build a strong case.
Overcoming Comparative Negligence Arguments
Connecticut operates under a modified comparative fault rule, meaning your compensation can be reduced or eliminated if you are found partially at fault. Owners will try to shift blame, so your lawyer must forcefully counter these arguments.
Accurately Valuing Your Damages
Calculating the full extent of current and future lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, disability, and more is complex. A New Haven slip and fall accident attorney ensures you receive fair value for your economic and non-economic damages.
How a Slip and Fall Lawyer Can Work to Maximize Your Claim
Our New Haven slip and fall attorneys will:
- Conduct an immediate investigation while evidence is still available
- Research property inspection/maintenance procedures and identify lapses
- Handle all communication and negotiation with the owner’s insurance company
- Enlist respected medical and economic experts to precisely value your damages
- Build a compelling case and advocate tirelessly to maximize your financial recovery
Skilled legal representation can make a substantial difference in the outcome of your claim.
Recoverable Damages in a Connecticut Slip and Fall Accident Claim
If negligence is proven, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Home care or residential facility costs
- Disability accommodations and modifications
- Pain, suffering, and emotional trauma
- Loss of enjoyment or reduced quality of life
Our slip and fall accident lawyers in New Haven will evaluate and fight to include the entirety of economic and non-economic damages you have suffered.
Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Some of the most common hazardous conditions behind premises liability slip and fall lawsuits include:
- Wet or slippery floors
- Uneven surfaces
- Loose mats, rugs, or carpeting
- Torn carpeting or damaged flooring
- Obstacles obstructing walkways
- Icy or damaged sidewalks or parking lot
- Poor or inadequate lighting
- Broken or defective stairs or railings
- Lack of warning signs for hazards
Is a Property Owner At Fault for Your Slip and Fall Injuries?
If you were recently injured after slipping and falling on someone else’s property, you might be wondering whether or not your injuries will be covered.
These types of cases are commonly known as slip and fall accidents; these accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, from broken bones to soft tissue damage. To establish fault for a slip and fall accident, it is important to remember that these three elements must be proved in court:
- The owner or occupier of the property knew that some condition existed on the premises which was unreasonably dangerous and posed an unreasonable risk of harm to others entering the premises either accidentally or otherwise.
- This condition caused injury when there was a likelihood of a person being in a location where they could be injured by the condition.
- The owner or occupier failed to take reasonable measures to repair the dangerous condition or protect against the condition.
For an individual to sue another party over a slip and fall accident that occurred on their property, your New Haven slip and fall accident lawyer will work to prove these elements to solidify your case.
Who Is Held Liable for Slip and Fall Injuries?
Who is held liable for a slip and fall in Connecticut? Liability varies based on the specific circumstances and location of the accident, but potentially responsible parties include:
- Commercial property owners, business owners, property managers
- Landlords of residential rental properties
- Government entities for public spaces
- Construction companies on work sites
- General contractors and subcontractors
An investigation by your legal team will identify all liable parties that should be held accountable.
How Can a New Haven Slip and Fall Injury Attorney Help?
Slip and fall cases are actionable under the tort of negligence. In this type of case, you can sue a property owner for injuries that happen on that property due to some form of negligence by the owner or their employees.
The following is a brief rundown on how a personal injury attorney can help with slip and fall lawsuits:
- Prepare Your Documentation: If you find yourself filing suit against a business or individual for a slip and fall, make sure you have all your documentation in order. Whether you need police reports, doctor bills and medical records, photographs of the scene where the incident took place, etc., having plenty of paperwork will help your case as well as speed up any legal proceedings that might occur.
- Proving Fault: If you are filing suit against a business for injuries due to a slip and fall, be sure to prove that they were negligent or at least partially negligent. This means proving that the business did not take proper care of its premises, as well as an investigation into what might have caused your condition or accident.
- Settlement Negotiations: One of the most important jobs an injury lawyer can do is assist with settlement negotiations on your behalf. In some cases, depending on the severity of damages inflicted by the incident, your New Haven slip and fall injury attorney might get involved right away or start working on a case once it has been filed.
- Court Proceedings: As with any personal injury case, if negotiations fail and the court proceedings begin, the assistance of a good lawyer will be crucial. At this step in your case, your lawyer will present your case before a jury or judge.
Contact a New Haven Slip and Fall Accident Law Firm for a Free Consultation Today
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may have grounds to pursue compensation. However, these cases are highly contested, which is why you need experienced legal representation on your side.
At Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers, our New Haven slip and fall attorneys have an outstanding record of maximizing our clients’ financial recoveries. We know how to build strong cases that insurance companies cannot simply dismiss. While they look to minimize payouts, our firm protects your rights as the injured victim.
There are no risks or upfront fees to get started. We provide free consultations to review your situation, answer your questions, and explain all your legal options. Contact us today to speak with a slip and fall injury lawyer in New Haven and learn how we can help maximize the value of your claim.
