Slip and Fall Attorney in Jacksonville

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Slip and fall lawyers assist with injuries that result from a slip and fall accident. These accidents can be very serious, much more so than they might appear at first. Slip and fall accidents should not be taken lightly, but should be reviewed carefully by an experienced personal injury lawyer. Owners and operators of public places such as restaurants, supermarkets, showrooms, retail stores and wholesale stores have a specific responsibility to maintain a safe place for the public.

Do not assume that it is your fault that you slipped on spilled liquid or food, fallen down stairs, or tripped on a floor that isn’t in a safe, well-maintained condition. The owner of a property has a legal responsibility to keep the premises safe and a legal responsibility to you if you are injured as a result of the property owner’s negligence. If you or a loved one has had such an accident, talk to one of the experienced slip and fall lawyers at Harrell & Harrell, P.A. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to determine the strength of your slip and fall injury claim and evaluate your rights and due compensation.

Trip and fall accidents can be embarrassing and awkward, but it’s important to not dismiss these incidents too quickly. Some slip and fall injuries are not immediately apparent, or injuries that seem to be minor at the scene may become more severe over time. Because these accidents may have long-term implications for your health, well-being, and even your livelihood, you should consult an expert slip and fall lawyer for guidance. An experienced lawyer can sort out the complex issues that surround slip and fall injury claims. In many cases, there is more than one entity who may be held responsible, such as the property owner, the property manager, and others.

In general, slip and fall accidents fall under the practice area of premises liability in that the owner of the premises is legally responsible to keep the premises safe for others to use.

Common Types of Slip and Fall Accidents

There are many different kinds of accidents involving tripping, slipping and falling. These are some of the most common types:

• Slipping on a loose rug or mat
• Tripping on uneven surfaces
• Tripping on loose or broken floor tiles or pavers
• Slipping on spilled food or liquids, or water that has been tracked from outdoors onto a slick indoor walking surface
• Tripping on stairs that are loose or in disrepair
• Tripping on stairs that lack the proper hand support
• Slipping on a wet floor in a restroom
• Tripping on items that obstructed a stairway, hallway or walkway
• Tripping over merchandise that has fallen or that has been improperly stacked
• Tripping over unattended animals or children
• Tripping on a faulty escalator or an uneven elevator entry
• Slipping or tripping in an area that’s poorly lit

What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident

Knowing what to do—and what not to do—after you or a loved one has had a slip and fall accident can help ensure that all of your legal rights are protected. Here are tips on what steps to take in the event you have such an accident:

• First, you should seek medical attention immediately. If you believe the situation is not a medical emergency, make sure to see a physician within 24 or 48 hours of the accident. Medical records will be very important evidence in the event you make a slip and fall injury claim.
• Ask the owner of the property or the operator/manager of the property for any forms needed to file a format accident report. If the business cannot or will not supply an accident report form, put your own report in writing. Note the time, date, exact location within the property where your accident occurred, what you were doing right before the accident occurred, a detailed description of the circumstances of the slip and fall accident, and any other details about the surrounding area or any preceding events that may have been a factor. Do this as soon as possible, because memories can fade and you may not accurately remember every last detail later. Send your detailed report to the property owner or operator and include a police report if one was made. Be sure to make your report as soon as possible, since a significant delay may ultimately harm your slip and fall injury claim.
• Gather information from any witnesses to the accident—such as employees, other customers or visitors, or passersby—who remained on the scene. Ask for their names, phone numbers, and email addresses. Your slip and fall attorney will want to follow up with witnesses as soon as possible.
• Document the scene if you can. Take photos from multiple angles, both close up and from farther away. Also, take photos of the scene all around where your accident took place. Take these photos even if you think surrounding areas weren’t a factor in your accident, an experienced slip and fall lawyer will be able to assess what may be relevant later on.
• Document any pain and symptoms you may have in detail. Take photos of any visible injuries right away, no matter how insignificant they may seem at first.
• Keep the clothing and shoes you were wearing in the same condition they were in at the time of your accident.
• Do not give any statements to the property manager, property owner, or anyone else on the scene about how your accident happened.
• Do not sign anything that an insurance company representative, insurance company attorney, property owner, employee of the property owner, or property manager gives you.
• Do not attempt to assign blame to anyone or any entity, or take any of the blame yourself.
• Do not give any statements to any insurance company representative (written or over the phone) until you have consulted one of our slip and fall attorneys. Our attorneys will handle communications with insurance companies.
• Do not post or share any information about your slip and fall accident on any social media platforms.
• Start a file for records and receipts related to your accident. Keep and file any documents related to medical treatment, any costs of medical devices, any loss of income that may have resulted from the accident, and any other expenses. It’s better to have records that ultimately are not needed than lack important records later.
• Make sure to keep each of your scheduled medical appointments. Missing appointments may be seen as an indication that your injury was not severe.
• Consult a law firm that has experience in personal injury law, including premises liability cases such as slip and fall injury claims.

Slip and Fall Accidents with Renee Harrell

What to Know About Premises Liability

As mentioned above, a property owner—or an agent or employee of the owner— has a responsibility to keep his or her property safe for visitors and protect them from an unreasonable risk of injury while on the premises. Although the circumstances of a slip and fall accident may seem clear cut, such as tripping in a store on a slippery floor mat that was unsecured, they often are not.

Among the many other aspects of a slip and fall injury claim, it must be proven, according to the 2018 Florida Statutes, that “the business establishment had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition and should have taken action to remedy it.” Such knowledge “may be proven by circumstantial evidence showing that … the dangerous condition existed for such a length of time that, in the exercise of ordinary care, the business establishment should have known of the condition or the condition occurred with regularity and was therefore foreseeable.”

The burden of proving that a slip and fall injury was due to negligence or carelessness on the part of the property owner or operator is on the victim, and the laws pertaining to premises liability cases are complex. That’s why having an experienced slip and fall lawyer on your side is essential to ensuring that your case is thoroughly investigated and properly prepared. If you or a loved one has sustained injuries at a business that you believe may have not provided a safe environment for visitors, don’t hesitate to contact Harrell & Harrell, P.A. Our attorneys offer case evaluations at absolutely no cost or obligation to you, and we represent our clients on a contingency fee basis—if we do not win your slip and fall injury case, you will not owe costs or fees.

Compensation in Slip and Fall Injury Claims

A personal injury such as a slip and fall injury can have effects on your life that go far beyond immediate medical bills. We always take into account the true impact an injury can have on our clients’ lives in the form of both economic and non-economic damages. Such damages may include but not be limited to:

• Medical costs, which can include immediate emergency care received in the aftermath of the accident, emergency transportation from the scene of the accident, hospitalization, medical equipment, rehabilitation therapy, prescriptions, in-home nursing care and more.
• Loss of income if you have lost salary or wages as a direct result of your slip and fall injuries. Damages related to income may also include the income you would have made in the future if you had not been injured in an accident involving negligence.
• Pain and suffering: These non-economic damages are related to physical and mental pain, and may include emotional distress, anxiety and the loss of enjoyment of life.

Contact our Expert Slip and Fall Lawyers

As with any type of accidental injury, it’s important to make sure that you understand all of the possibilities and let an experienced personal injury lawyer handle any settlement offers from an insurance company. We fight big insurance companies every day, and we know that their goal is to pay out as little as possible. Our goal is to help you get all you deserve.

Remember that the serious effects of a slip and fall accident often don’t become apparent until well after the accident itself, these effects include all of the costs and emotional impact over the course of the following months or even years.

The experienced slip and fall lawyers at Harrell & Harrell, P.A., in Jacksonville will help you pick up all of the pieces and work to ensure every consideration is made for you and your family’s future needs. Schedule your free, no-obligation consultation by filling out the form at the top of this page or calling us at 800-251-1111. We will gladly meet with you at our office, in your home or office, or at the hospital.

Don’t settle for less than you deserve.^®