Slip and Fall
Injured in a Slip-and-Fall Accident?
A slip-and-fall can happen in seconds, but the injuries can affect you for months or even years. Wet floors, broken stairs, uneven walkways, loose flooring, poor lighting, and other unsafe conditions can lead to serious injuries, medical expenses, and time away from work. However, falling on someone else’s property does not automatically make the property owner responsible; a slip-and-fall claim generally depends on whether an unsafe condition existed and whether the owner, operator, or another responsible party failed to use reasonable care. The Courtroom Couple helps injured clients investigate slip-and-fall and premises liability accidents, preserve important evidence, deal with insurance companies, and determine whether another party’s negligence contributed to their injuries.
What Should You Do After a Slip-and-Fall Accident?
Evidence from a slip-and-fall accident can disappear quickly. A spill can be cleaned, a damaged surface can be repaired, and surveillance footage may eventually be overwritten, making the first steps you take after an accident especially important.
- Document the Hazard: If you can safely do so, take photos or video of what caused your fall before the condition is cleaned, repaired, or moved. Capture both the hazard itself and the surrounding area.
- Report the Accident: Notify the property owner, manager, security officer, or another appropriate representative and ask whether an incident report will be prepared.
- Gather Witness Information: Get the names and contact information of anyone who saw the fall, noticed the hazard beforehand, or spoke with employees about the condition.
- Preserve Important Evidence: Keep photographs, medical records, incident information, and the shoes and clothing you were wearing. Surveillance footage and property inspection or cleaning records may also become important evidence.
Understanding Who May Be Responsible for a Slip-and-Fall Accident?
Falling on someone else’s property does not automatically mean the property owner is responsible. A slip-and-fall claim can depend on what caused the accident, who controlled or created the dangerous condition, whether the hazard was known or should have been discovered, and how the condition contributed to your injuries.
A Dangerous Condition Existed
The first question is what actually caused the fall. Identifying and documenting the specific unsafe condition can be an important part of establishing what happened.
The Property Was Not Reasonably Maintained
The circumstances may raise questions about whether a hazard should have been cleaned, repaired, blocked off, identified with a warning, or discovered through reasonable inspections.
Who Created or Knew About the Hazard
It can matter whether the property owner or an employee created the condition or whether it was caused by a customer or another third party. Evidence showing who knew—or reasonably should have known—about the hazard can become important.
The Hazard Caused Your Injuries
A claim also needs to connect the unsafe condition to the fall and resulting injuries. Medical documentation can help establish that connection and the impact the accident has had on you.
Speak With a Las Vegas Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in a slip-and-fall accident at a store, casino, hotel, restaurant, apartment complex, or another property, The Courtroom Couple can help investigate what happened, preserve important evidence, and determine whether another party may be responsible for your injuries. Fill out the form below to contact Kory and Brittany Kaplan and schedule a free consultation to discuss your slip-and-fall claim.