Slip and fall accidents, under United States law, are personal injury compensation claims based on an event where a person slips, trips, or falls and suffers bodily injury.

The assertion in these cases is that the property owner was to blame because they were negligent in allowing a hazardous condition to exist on their premises, causing the slip and fall accident.

Common Defenses in Slip & Fall Claims

Property owners generally have two basic defenses to slip and fall injury claims:

1. The Person Who Fell Was at Fault

The property owner may claim that the person who fell was responsible for the accident.

For example, the owner may argue that any sensible person walking through the premises would exercise due diligence for their own safety and should be able to avoid a visible hazard in their path, such as a dropped pencil on the floor.

Unfortunately, because of the general perception that slip and falls are at least partially the fault of the person who fell, slip and fall injury claims are usually worth less than those from other types of accidental injury claims.

2. The Property Owner Was Not Negligent

The property owner may also claim that they were not negligent.

For example, the property owner may argue that the pencil had been dropped only moments before by another customer and that even a cautious owner acting with reasonable care would not have had sufficient time to find and fix the hazard.

What to Do After a Slip & Fall

If you’ve been seriously injured as a result of slipping, tripping, or falling while on property that is not your own:

• Evaluate the extent of your injuries.
• Take note of the situation and surroundings leading up to the fall.
• See a doctor for your injuries.
• Consult with an attorney to assess your possible personal injury claim.
• If anyone witnessed your fall, ask for their name and contact information.
• Get the name and contact information of the owner or manager on duty at the time.
• Make sure you can provide an accurate description of the incident scene, the hazard, and your actions leading up to the fall.

These are the major points a property owner’s insurance company will look to when processing your claim.

How Raheen Law Group Can Help

To negotiate with the insurance company’s attorney and obtain the best possible outcome for you, you should hire an experienced attorney of your own.

You can trust Raheen Law Group to be persistent and work hard on your behalf.