Have you or a loved one fallen on an individual’s property in Holiday and gotten injured? I’m sure you have a ton of questions, including how to hold the property owner responsible, how you can be compensated and do you need a Holiday slip and fall lawyer? At Distasio Law Firm, our dedicated injury attorneys are here to answer those questions and provide you with thorough counsel. You may want to know:
- Is the property owner responsible for causing my injuries?
- Can I be compensated for medical expenses and lost wages?
- How can a slip and fall attorney help me?
- How do I find the best Holiday slip and fall lawyer?
At Distasio Law Firm, we are passionate about getting the answers to these slip and fall questions for our clients, holding the responsible property owner accountable for their wrongdoing, guiding our clients through the process, and getting our clients the money they’ve lost due to injury. We work to seek justice for our clients by getting them the compensation they deserve. Don’t waste time, call us today so that we can get on the case.
What Is a Slip and Fall Case?
A slip and fall case is defined as a situation in which a property does not fix a harmful situation and it leads to injury from falling, slipping, or tripping. This happens most often in:
- Grocery stores
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Shopping malls
- Movie theaters
- Apartment complexes
- Office buildings
- Department stores
- Parking lots
Common Injuries That Will Arise From a Slip and Fall Include:
- Back injuries
- Fractures and broken bones, such as hips, arms, ankles, tailbones
- Spinal injuries
- Bruising and soreness
If you or a loved one suffered severe injuries after a slip and fall incident, one of the skilled legal professionals at our firm in Holiday could help you build a strong legal claim.
What Are the Most Common Slip and Fall Accidents?
In many cases in Holiday, slip and fall accidents occur because of spilled liquids. It’s the property owner’s responsibility to ensure the environment is clear of hazards. In some places, hazards such as spilled liquids occur often. In these environments, a warning must be placed notifying people of this potential hazard. A great example of this is the wet floor signs that are often found in grocery stores. However, property owners must still take actions to continually keep their environment safe.
Slip and fall accidents also frequently occur in Holiday when objects are put in the wrong place or because of poor conditions. Locations where these accidents occur are parking lots, walkways, and stairs, among other places. Accidents in these locations are typically caused by faulty railings, potholes, or uneven surfaces.
What Should You Do After a Slip and Fall?
Accidents happen and, at times, it’s due to the negligence of property owners that put profits over your safety. If you are injured in a slip and fall scenario in Holiday, act fast and do the following:
TAKE A MOMENT TO STUDY WHAT HAPPENED
It’s hard to do immediately after you fall because you are probably in pain and may be disoriented. However, this is the best time to take a mental note of the events. Otherwise you may forget. Look for what caused you to fall and remember its size, shape, color, consistency, and condition. Try to remember the sequence of events leading up to the fall and the actual fall itself. Remember your shoes and clothing. If there was liquid on the ground, remember if your clothing were wet after the fall. As soon as possible after the fall, write down in detail everything you remember.
TAKE PICTURES OF THE AREA WHERE YOU FELL, YOUR INJURIES, AND YOUR SHOES
Your memory of the events is important, but memories often fade. Relying on the store to accurately document what happened is also a mistake. Many stores do a terrible job of documenting events after a fall. To ensure you have accurate information, take lots of photographs from many different angles of what caused you to fall and of the surrounding area. In addition, you should take pictures of your injuries, bruises, and your shoes.
IDENTIFY WITNESSES TO THE FALL
Stores will often forget to get witness contact information. Therefore, you should get the names, phone numbers, and addresses of as many witnesses as you can. Find out if they know how long the dangerous condition was on the floor and whether any employees knew about it.
FILL OUT A STORE INCIDENT REPORT
Some businesses may take the position that the event never happened if you do not notify them of what happened. The best way to notify the store is to find a manager and or store owner. Insist on filling out an incident report and do your best to get a copy of the report.
ASK THE STORE TO PRESERVE ANY SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF THE EVENT
Most stores today have surveillance video constantly running. The surveillance video can show things like how long the dangerous condition existed, how it got there, whether employees were looking for dangerous conditions, and how you fell. Unfortunately, many stores video systems record over old footage every 30 days. They only save a copy if you specifically ask them to do so. Since the video is often the only thing that can really prove what happened, you should always ask them to save a copy and or give you a copy. Definitely ask and make a note of who you asked. Put your request in writing, if possible.
GET IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR YOUR INJURIES
It is common to feel embarrassed after falling. It is often common to wait to get medical attention to see if your injuries go away on their own. However, if you do this and the injuries do not go away, the property owner may later claim that you injuries did not happen because of the fall. They will point to the gap in time between when you fell and when you got medical attention and claim that anything could have happened to you during that time. To prevent this from happening, get medical attention as soon as possible. This will document your injuries with an independent source and ensure this ridiculous argument does not work.
Are Premise Owners Responsible for All Injuries That Happen on Their Property?
For property owners to be held accountable, it must be proven that negligence or wrongdoing on their part has occurred and that it led to injury. The skilled Holiday slip and fall attorneys at the Distasio Law Firm will look at all facets of your case and determine the best way to achieve justice for you. We know that in Holiday and throughout the state of Florida, it is the responsibility of a property owner to create a safe environment for all who enter their premises. This includes correcting any issues that can lead to injury. Property owners also have a responsibility to warn people entering their property of any unsafe conditions that are present.
Looking for a Holiday Slip and Fall Attorney? Call Us Today!
Slip and Fall Injury Case Results
$225,000.00 Settlement | Lakeland, FL
Our client was sitting in a chair in a restaurant eating her lunch when her chair suddenly collapsed. An examination of the chair revealed it was so old the joints had rusted away causing them to fail. The other chairs in the restaurant were in a similar condition and were wobbly due to the failing joints. A lawsuit against the restaurant was filed for negligently failing to routinely inspect the chairs and replace them as they aged. Our client’s injuries included rotator cuff damage to her shoulder and neck disc herniation. She underwent shoulder surgery and neck fusion surgery. The defense claimed the restaurant was not responsible for finding defects in the chair, that the chair was negligently made by the manufacturer and that our client’s injuries were caused by wear and tear on her body over the years of her life and not the fall from the chair.
$135,000.00 Settlement | Tampa, FL
Our client was walking down the steps of the outside stairwell of his apartment complex when the last step gave way. He injured his low back and underwent laser discectomy surgery. An examination of the broken stair revealed the bolt holding it in place had rusted out due to old age. A lawsuit against the apartment complex was filed because the stairwell was not properly maintained. The apartment complex claimed falling only one step could not cause a disc herniation and that our client’s injuries were caused by lifting and bending at work. A mistrial occurred during the second day of trial. A settlement was reached just before the beginning of the new trial.
$135,000.00 Settlement | Sarasota, FL
Our client was walking down the stairs of a chair rental hut on the Sarasota beach when she fell. She experienced immediate neck pain. An examination of the stairs revealed they were in violation of the building code because the height and width of the stairs were not uniform throughout. Our client was diagnosed with a herniated disc in her neck that required her to undergo neck fusion surgery.
