Slip and fall accidents can be embarrassing, but people often underestimate how dangerous they are. Serious injuries like fractures, brain injuries, and damage to your back and neck are possible, might be expensive to treat, and are difficult to live with. The person or people in charge of the property where you fell might be liable if they negligently failed to maintain the premises. Talk to an attorney about how you can receive compensation.
Injuries in slip and fall accidents are often more serious than people realize. You might break bones, injure your back, or hit your head so hard that you experience a brain injury. Economic and non-economic damages in such cases can be substantial, and you should speak to an attorney immediately. Generally, the person in charge of the property may be responsible, as they have a duty to keep the premises safe for guests. Evidence to back up your claims may include witness testimony, security camera videos, and medical records. Get started with a lawyer soon, as your time to file a case may be limited.
For a free, private case assessment, contact our Queens, NY slip and fall injury attorneys at The Carrion Law Firm by calling us at (718) 841-0083.
Common Injuries and Damages in Bayside Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents have a somewhat unfair reputation for being nonserious, and legal claims for damages tend to be labeled as frivolous. The reality is that these injuries are far more severe than most people give them credit for, and victims often need to file legal claims to cover their costs and damages. Do not let the opinions of others dictate your decision. Talk to an attorney.
A common injury in slip and fall accidents is broken bones. You might have stuck out your arms to break your fall only to badly fracture your hands, wrists, or arms. Depending on how you fall, a broken leg is not impossible. For example, you may slip and fall down some stairs, or land awkwardly, breaking your leg.
Slip and fall victims also risk serious head injuries. People have fallen and hit their heads so hard that they suffer brain injuries. You do not have to fall from a great height to suffer a bad brain injury. It only takes one bad fall to change your whole life.
Damages tend to be based on the severity of injuries, but they may also be based on your subjective experiences. Economic damages may include medical expenses, which can be very high if you needed extensive treatment. Brain injuries are often very complex injuries and require long-term and expensive care. You may claim lost income if you cannot work because of your injuries.
Non-economic damages revolve around how the accident impacted your life. You might claim pain, suffering, distress, reduced quality of life, or the loss of enjoyment of your life, among other painful experiences.
Proving Liability for Slip and Fall Injuries in Bayside
To prove liability for your injuries, our slip and fall injury attorneys need to determine who is responsible and where we can find evidence of their wrongdoing. These factors are unique to each case and might be difficult to figure out. Your lawyer can assist you.
Who is Responsible?
Property owners are held responsible for many slip-and-fall cases because they own the premises where the accident happened. They may be held liable according to laws and rules regarding premises liability. Essentially, a property owner has a legal duty to make their property and premises safe for guests. Guests may include people explicitly invited onto the property, like a social guest, or those who are not invited but expected to show up, like a customer in a store. You must have been present on the premises lawfully to have a valid claim. Unknown trespassers are usually not owed a duty of care and cannot recover damages if injured while trespassing.
Individuals or businesses may be named in your case. For example, maybe you slipped and fell in someone’s house. You can sue them for your injuries if their negligence caused the accident. If you slipped in a store, restaurant, or other business, you can sue the business for damages. Be sure to explain exactly where your accident occurred to your lawyer, as that may help us determine who should be held accountable.
Evidence
Evidence of the accident often comes straight from the area where you fell. If you were injured in a store or business, we should demand access to security camera footage. Video footage of the accident can be very powerful and hard to refute. If the defendant refuses to cooperate, we can get a court order compelling them to hand over the videos.
We should also speak to people who were nearby when you were injured. Witness testimony may also be very powerful, especially when multiple witnesses can back you up and their versions of events align with yours.
Medical records are necessary to help us prove your damages. They are especially crucial in slip and fall accidents because people have a bad habit of underestimating the severity of injuries in these cases. Your medical records may help us prove just how badly you were hurt.
How Much Time You Have to File a Slip and Fall Injury Case in Bayside
If you recently slipped and fell and wish to pursue legal action, the time to act is now. According to C.V.P. Law § 214, an injured victim has only 3 years to file a case in court. Once this statute of limitations expires, you might lose your right to file your claims, and you may be forever barred from recovering damages.
What obstacles stand in your way? Many injured victims need time to get medical treatment and assess the severity of their injuries. Depending on how badly you were hurt, your road to recovery might be a long one. Although it can be difficult, you should speak to a lawyer even if your injuries make it difficult. Your attorney can do the heavy lifting on your case while you focus on resting and recovering.
You might also be slowed down by the defendant. They might try to convince you to forego legal action and accept a settlement. If this is the case, do not accept anything until you have spoken to a lawyer. Settlement negotiations can take time, and if they drag on, they might interfere with your ability to file your case.
Contact Our Bayside Slip and Fall Injury Attorneys for Assistance
For a free, private case assessment, contact our slip and fall injury attorneys at The Carrion Law Firm by calling us at (718) 841-0083.