Slip and Fall Accidents and Tips
The holidays can indeed be the most wonderful time of the year, but winter is not without its downside. According to the CDC, there are roughly 1 million slip and fall injuries annually, and the personal injury rate increases as the temperature drops.
Slip and fall accidents can lead to various personal injuries that are painful, restricting, and sometimes have permanent or semi-permanent effects. Below are just a few examples of common slip and fall injuries.
- Broken bones or fractures.
- Traumatic head injuries.
- Sprains and strains.
- Back, neck, and hip injuries.
- Contusions.
- Dislocations.
- Lacerations and abrasions.
Injuries obtained through slip and fall accidents are not only unpleasant – they’re also expensive.
- On average, slip and fall injuries require 12 days off work to recover.
- The cost to treat broken bones can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $10,000.
- Over the course of a lifetime, traumatic brain injuries cost between $85,000 and $3 million in medical expenses and other personal injury related costs.
- Treating a moderate sprain can cost a few hundred dollars, while sprains requiring surgery can cost $7,000-$10,000 or more.
It is the duty of property owners to remove, block off, mitigate hazards, or warn visitors about safety hazards such as slippery floors, icy pavement, uneven walking surfaces, broken steps, dangerous debris, and other hazards. When necessary actions are not taken and a person suffers a personal injury as a result, the property owner is usually liable. To help determine liability, there are three terms you need to know.
Invitee
An invitee is someone who has been invited onto the property, usually for social purposes. For example, if someone invites you to their home, you would be considered an invitee.
Licensee
A licensee is someone who has permission from the property owner to enter the premises, usually for business related reasons. For example, if a health inspector is ordered to conduct an inspection at a restaurant, the inspector would be a licensee. Another example is if a shopper is injured in a store during business hours.
Trespasser
A trespasser is a person who was not invited or given permission to be on the property. For example, if a burglar breaks into your home and slips on a spill in the kitchen and is injured, the property owner is not legally considered at fault for the injury.
How Can You Prove Fault?
In Missouri, there are a few elements that must be proven in a premises liability case for it to be successful.
- The property owner must have been in possession of the property at the time of the slip and fall accident.
- The personal injury victim has to have been an invitee or licensee on the property. Property owners are not legally responsible for the safety of trespassers.
- The property owner’s negligence or failure to warn the victim of the hazard must be the cause of the accident that led to injury.
Personal injury lawyers know how to obtain evidence such as security footage, eyewitness testimony, forensic evidence, medical records, correspondences, property accident history, expert testimony, receipts, and other forms of admissible proof. However, it’s up to the personal injury victim to file a premises liability claim within the state’s statute of limitations. In Missouri, the statute of limitations for premises liability claims is five years.
It’s important to have a skilled personal injury lawyer in your corner after an accident to prove who was at fault for the accident, calculate the value of your personal injury, and fight for the settlement necessary to cover injury related costs. Your attorney will also help you by ensuring the correct legal forms are filled out properly and submitted by the designated deadlines, and guiding you through the legal process. Premises liability cases can be tricky, but the right attorney can help you get the desired results.
At The S.E. Farris Law Firm, we are experienced in slip and fall accidents, and premises liability cases. If the landowner was completely or even partially at fault, we’ll fight for the compensation you deserve. If you’ve suffered a personal injury, contact us as soon as possible to schedule your initial consultation for free legal advice from a skilled St. Louis lawyer near you.
Contact a St. Louis Personal Injury Attorney
The St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyers at The S.E. Farris Law Firm are experienced in slip and fall accidents, and premises liability cases. If you don’t have a valid claim, you can count on an honest assessment of the matter up front. If the landowner was completely or even partially at fault, we will fight to get the compensation for your financial and personal losses, such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, or long-term care you deserve.
Call 314-A-LAWYER (314-252-9937) today for a free consultation. The time to pursue a claim against a negligent party in a slip and fall case is limited. If the responsible party is a governmental entity, such as the owner of a dangerous road or sidewalk, the time limits are extremely short to make your claim. It is important to contact an experienced Missouri personal injury attorney as soon as possible so that your rights are protected, and so an investigation into the circumstances surrounding your accident can be conducted.