Understanding Slip And Fall Injury Cases
Whether you’re a customer at a place of business or an employee of an establishment, you may, at some point, experience an accident that leaves you with a personal injury or aggravates a preexisting injury. It’s unfortunate that these incidents occur, but the good news is that you are not usually liable for them.
It is the business owner’s responsibility to keep their facility safe and operational for their customers and employees. If an accident does happen, the employer needs to have general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance in order to cover medical costs, loss of wages, pain and suffering, and more.
If you are a customer or employee and sustained an injury at a place of business or your job, please contact Keller, Woods & Thompson, P.A., to determine what your options are. We’ve helped numerous Minnesota and western Wisconsin injury victims.
Who’s Responsible For These Injuries?
It is the responsibility of property owners and store managers to ensure that shoppers and the public are safe while on their premises. However, each year, thousands of individuals suffer serious injuries due to trips, slips and falls. These injuries can include trauma to the hip, head, neck, back and spine. These personal injuries can result in lengthy and costly medical bills.
Many people do not seek the treatment that they need after a personal injury, fearing how much it will cost. At Keller, Woods & Thompson, P.A., we are committed to helping you make the fullest recovery possible. We will handle the legal issues, filing a claim against the responsible parties while you focus on working with the necessary doctors and specialists to heal your injuries. These treatments will be covered in your claim.
Slip And Fall Accidents
Of all personal injury claims, slip-and-fall injuries are one of the most common claims made in Minnesota. Most often, these slip and falls are caused by a substance on the floor that is sticky or slippery.
Other causes of slip-and-fall accidents include walking surfaces that are uneven or have significant holes in them. If the floor or any stairways have defects, this could also cause a slip-and-fall accident. Generally, if the design of a space is unsafe or the way a building was constructed was unsafe, it could cause someone to have an accident. A poor amount or lack of lighting could also contribute to a slip-and-fall accident.
The cause of a personal injury like this one could also be a dog bite or animal attack. However, if this is the cause of your personal injury, please see our page about dog bite injuries.
Back Injuries From Falls
If your back hurts after falling, it is vital to take immediate action to help protect your health and well-being. This is because experiencing back pain after fall incidents could signal a more serious issue. Here is what you need to do:
- Seek medical attention immediately: If you experience lower back pain after a fall, dizziness or other symptoms, consult a health care professional. Early treatment can prevent complications and help identify hidden injuries that might not be immediately apparent. Additionally, it is crucial to monitor for symptoms to look for after a fall on your back, such as numbness, tingling or trouble moving. These could be signs of spinal injuries that need urgent medical care.
- Document your injuries: Try to keep track of any symptoms, medical visits and treatments you receive. Documenting these details can help establish the extent of your injuries, which may be essential if you decide to take legal action later.
- Consult a premises liability attorney: Consider speaking with a premises liability attorney after addressing your health concerns. In Minneapolis, property owners have a legal obligation to maintain safe environments. If your back hurts after falling due to unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to compensation. An attorney can help you understand your rights and guide you through seeking compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
- Follow up on medical care: Even if the back pain after a fall seems to improve, it is vital to continue with your treatment plan and attend follow-up appointments. Persistent lower back pain after falls can indicate ongoing issues that must be addressed.
If you have suffered a back injury from a fall in Minneapolis, do not wait to seek medical care and legal guidance. Consulting with a knowledgeable premises liability attorney can help ensure your rights are protected and you receive the compensation needed to cover your expenses.
Do You Have A Slip and Fall Case If You Fall At A Gas Station?
A slip and fall can happen anywhere, but gas stations and convenience stores that sell gas are two places where they occur frequently. Common causes of these accidents include:
- Oil and gas spills: Slick surfaces from spilled gasoline or oil.
- Water or liquid spills: Spills in the store area or around the pumps.
- Poor lighting: Inadequate lighting around the gas pumps or parking areas.
- Obstructed walkways: Items or equipment left in walkways, creating tripping hazards.
- Potholes and uneven surfaces: Cracked or uneven pavement and walkways.
- Wet floors: Especially in bathrooms or near entrances during rainy weather.
Accumulated ice or snow during the winter months is a frequent cause of gas station mishaps and can form the foundation of a slip-and-fall case. Property owners have a duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for consumers. When they fail and injuries occur, victims have a right to justice for their harm and compensation for the overwhelming expenses they face.
In Minnesota, building a lawsuit for a gas station injury involves proving that the owner or operator was negligent in maintaining safe premises. For instance, if the gas station did not promptly address ice or snow and you were injured from slipping while pumping gas, the owner or operator could be legally liable for your injuries.
Slip-and-fall settlements can vary widely, but they often cover medical expenses, lost income, and compensation for pain and suffering. The final settlement depends on injury severity and the specifics of your slip and fall case. Having an experienced injury attorney is crucial in these cases.
A lawyer from Keller, Woods & Thompson, P.A., can help you gather evidence, such as surveillance footage and witness statements, to build a strong case. They can also negotiate with insurance companies to ensure you receive fair compensation. Without legal representation, you might struggle to navigate the complexities of premises liability law and could end up with a lower settlement than you deserve.
What To Do After An Accident
When you experience a slip-and-fall accident, it is important to file an accident report, if possible. When you complete an accident report, you should give a detailed account about what happened, who witnessed the accident and the condition of the environment that caused the accident, and other important information (like the quality of lighting, for example). An accident report isn’t required by law, but many businesses require a statement as a part of their company policy.
Whether or not you fill out an accident report, you should create a record for yourself. For your own records, you should document what happened, who was present, whether or not anyone made comments related to the condition of the environment or the accident, what you perceived the condition of the environment to be, and photos of the area, if possible.
When hiring a personal injury attorney, it is important for us to have as much information as possible about what happened. The more details you can give, the better we can represent you.
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Paying For Medical Treatment
If you need to seek medical treatment for your slip-and-fall accident, there are a few ways that your expenses could be covered. If your fall occurred at a place of business, the owner will have general liability insurance to cover the cost of some of your medical expenses. If you fell on private property, the homeowner should have medical insurance to cover some of the medical expenses.
Note that these types of insurance will cover only part of the costs. The rest of your medical expenses will be covered in the settlement. If, for some reason, the business or homeowner can’t use their insurance, you will have to use your own health insurance to cover the cost and you can request reimbursement in the settlement.
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Slip-And-Fall Settlements
A settlement for an injury sustained from a slip-and-fall accident is similar to all other personal injury claims. A settlement for this type of claim will include payment to cover:
- Medical Bills
- Wage Loss
- Pain And Suffering
- Potential Future Medical Expenses
- Potential Future Loss Of Income
What Now? Call Us To Discuss Your Options
Depending on the extent of your personal injury, your settlement may include payments for only some of these. For more information on what you could receive settlement payments for, contact Keller, Woods & Thompson, P.A. Give us a call at 763-447-4076 or send us an email today to get started.
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