Slip-and-fall accidents were the leading cause of non-fatal injuries in 2019, with 8,049,881 incidents. In the same year, 39,443 people died after a fall, second only to poisoning in the number of preventable deaths. Injuries from slips, trips, and falls were serious enough to cause 244,000 people to miss work.
When a property owner’s negligence causes you to have an accident that results in injuries, you deserve compensation for your losses. The dedicated team at Sattler Law Group is here to help you recover damages for your medical bills. Experienced slip-and-fall lawyers provide you with the support you need to navigate your claim.
What Is the Legal Definition of Slip-and-Fall Accidents?
A slip-and-fall claim is a personal injury case within premises liability. When someone sustains an injury on another person’s property due to the property owner’s negligence, that individual can file a premises liability claim for their damages. If you sustained injuries after slipping, tripping, or falling on someone else’s property due to their negligence, you might benefit from contacting an attorney that handles slip-and-fall accident claims.
You can only collect damages for a slip-and-fall accident if you get hurt and prove liability. Property owners are legally obligated to keep their property free from hazards that may pose a danger to guests.
Proving Negligence
Proving negligence in these cases is notoriously difficult. A slip-and-fall accident attorney from Sattler Law Group can help you understand your case and determine liability. To prove negligence, you must demonstrate that:
- You were legally on the premises
- A hazardous condition existed
- The dangerous circumstances caused your accident
- You did not have reason to anticipate the danger
- Your actions did not cause the accident
The law also requires that you establish proof that the property owner, manager, or employee either created the condition, knew about the situation but did nothing to fix it, or should have known about the condition. In other words, the other party can’t simply claim that they were not aware of the danger on the property. However, proving that they should have known, expected, or discovered the hazard isn’t always easy. It helps to have a slip-and-fall attorney to help you establish liability in your case.
While property owners owe their guests a safe environment, the law asserts that they do not owe the same level of care to all visitors. In general, if an individual trespassed on the property and got hurt in the process, the property owner is likely not responsible for their injuries.
Understanding Comparative Negligence
One of the first things the property owner’s insurance company attempts to do is place at least some of the blame on the victim. If they can establish that the injured party was responsible for the accident due to careless or irresponsible behavior, they can deny the claim or offer a substantially reduced settlement. When you work with an attorney for slip-and-fall accident claims, the lawyer analyzes the facts of your case to determine liability.
If you accept responsibility for any part of the accident or the court determines you share some of the liability, it can substantially reduce your compensation. According to New York’s comparative negligence law for personal injury cases, if you share responsibility for the accident, you receive a percentage of the compensation awarded for the claim based on the property owner’s percentage of liability.
What Does a New York City Slip-and-Fall Accident Attorney Do?
The attorneys at Sattler Law Group help their clients win settlements that fairly compensate them for their losses. We help you navigate your claim from the first, confusing days after your accident until you reach a satisfactory settlement agreement.
Offering Legal Advice
Our lawyers gather information about how your accident happened, including the circumstances that led up to it and property conditions. We evaluate your case to determine how strong the evidence is for proving that the property owners are responsible for your slip-and-fall accident. Your slip-and-fall attorney communicates your options and offers advice on proceeding.
Gathering Evidence
You need evidence to establish negligence, and your Sattler Law Group team helps you gather it. They know how to obtain information that may be challenging for you to get. They can speak with witnesses, interview medical professionals, visit the accident scene, and take photographs.
Calculating Your Losses
Your attorney can also help you calculate your total losses. Many victims don’t realize what types of compensation they can ask for in a slip-and-fall case. When you sustain an injury as a result of a slip-and-fall accident, your damages may include:
- Past and future medical expenses related to your accident injuries
- Rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages from missed work or reduced capacity
- Transportation and hotel costs
- Pain and suffering
An experienced attorney for slip-and-fall accident cases can gather the information needed to obtain a full accounting of your losses.
Negotiating Your Settlement
Talking to insurance claims adjusters is not something most victims want to tackle. Insurance companies attempt to lower their claims costs, so they often try to get victims to settle for an amount that does not cover their losses. The lawyers at Sattler Law Group are tenacious and professional in their pursuit of full and fair compensation, and they don’t hold back when it comes to negotiating your settlement.
Fighting Your Case in Court
Most personal injury cases never see the inside of a courtroom. However, if the insurance company does not negotiate a satisfactory settlement, your slip-and-fall accident attorney can represent you in a lawsuit. In New York, you have three years to file a civil suit for a slip-and-fall accident against a private landowner. It’s essential that you pursue your case aggressively, and your attorney can ensure you don’t miss any deadlines because the insurance company drags their feet.
How Do You Get Started with a Sattler Law Group Slip and Fall Lawyer in New York City?
If you sustained a slip-and-fall injury due to a property owner’s negligence, Sattler Law Group is here to help you fight your claim. Getting started is easy. One call is all it takes to get the ball rolling. Contact us today to set up a consultation with a NYC slip-and-fall attorney.
Sources:
https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/all-injuries/deaths-by-demographics/top-10-preventable-injuries/
https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/work-overview/top-work-related-injury-causes/data-details/
