In many cases, a personal injury slip and fall accident occurs as a result of property owner, property occupant and/or property manager’s negligence. From spills and puddles to lax grounds maintenance, building code violations, deteriorating pavement, and more, slip and fall accidents can be a permanent condition or something temporary. Either way, if you are injured in a slip, trip, or fall accident, it is important to educate yourself on your rights as a victim of a personal injury. This applies to both visitors and staff of commercial businesses, as well as guests, tenants and occupants in residential settings.
Continue reading to learn what a slip and fall accident victim must prove in a personal injury lawsuit in order to win their case.
A Property Owner’s Duty of Care
Property owners have a legal liability referred to as duty of care, which requires them to maintain a safe and secure premises, free of any foreseeable hazards or dangers. The law will hold property owners responsible for a victim’s damages if said victim is seriously injured or suffers permanent consequences after slipping and falling on their premises as a result of violating this duty of care.
However, in order for an accident victim to win their slip and fall lawsuit, they must prove certain facts of their claim. This claimant obligation is known as burden of proof, and it is a central element in every personal injury case.
Burden of Proof in a Slip and Fall Accident
A slip and fall accident victim and their legal team of personal injury attorneys are responsible for proving their case. They must factually demonstrate that the negligent party’s carelessness caused unsafe conditions that led to the victim’s accident, and that the accident caused serious injuries that required hospitalization or medical treatment.
As a wrongfully injured victim of a slip and fall accident, it is important to ask yourself:
What caused me to slip and/or fall?
Should someone have known about the thing that caused my fall?
Was the cause of my accident foreseeable and preventable if proper precautions and inspections were performed?
These three questions will help you gain a basic understanding of your chance of success in pursing a slip and fall claim against a property owner or other negligent party.
If you are injured in a Slip and Fall:
If you are hurt in a commercial or business setting, even at work or school, or injured anywhere else, it is important to take pictures and video of the area of your accident, what caused your fall and retrieve all witness contact information. These two initiatives can help you prove your slip and fall case faster to the insurance carrier for the defendant.
You should always make a written report if possible as well. Following medical treatment, contact an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer as soon as possible before evidence is lost to support your claim or time runs out on the statute of limitations for your claim.
Not sure which personal injury law firm can help you recover the maximum settlement for your slip and fall case in Indiana? Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to speak with us about scheduling a free consultation with a licensed and experienced slip and fall injury lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana. We represent clients throughout the state of Indiana and can hold meetings over the phone, internet, or in person at our Indy-based office.
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