Am I Taking Unfair Advantage of a Property Owner if I Pursue a Slip-and-Fall Case?

June 13, 2013  |  Adriel B. Villarreal

Many of our clients are often concerned about whether or not they are being fair when they file a slip-and-fall claim. Most of our clients are good people who would be the last ones to ever take advantage of anyone!
It’s true that some slip-and-fall accidents are just that: accidents. Property owners are not responsible for all of them, and if that’s true in your case a good personal injury attorney will certainly advise you of that fact.
However, some slip-and-fall injuries are caused by negligence on the part of property owners. Property owners have a legal obligation to maintain safe conditions on their premises, and they do not always follow through. Here are some examples of this kind of negligence:

  • A restaurant spills grease on the floor and fails to clean it up.
  • Freshly mopped floors in a grocery store are not clearly marked with a warning sign.
  • Ice or snow on a walkway that should have been properly shoveled and salted before business hours began.
  • A broken hand rail that ought to have been properly maintained causes someone to trip and fall down a flight of stairs.
  • A loose floor tile, floor board, or bit of carpeting that was neglected for months causes someone to slip and fall.

If you have been injured due to these types of problems then you are well within your rights to seek compensation from the property owner and his insurance company. In addition, you may genuinely need the settlement money to cope with the problems caused by your accident.
Slip-and-fall accidents aren’t about bruised shin bones and skinned knees. Truly devastating slip-and-fall accidents do occur. These cause serious injuries that can bring long-term chronic pain, lost wages, high medical bills, and even head trauma. The consequences can be long-lasting and should not be taken lightly.
However, it’s not always easy to prove a slip-and-fall claim. If you fall, you should, if you can, attempt to document some of the conditions in the location that you fell. Snap a few photographs of the conditions that caused you to fall with your cell phone while waiting for medical help to arrive.
As soon as you are able, put in a call to a personal injury attorney. A lawyer can help you evaluate whether or not you have a case. If you do, then you are absolutely in the right for wanting to pursue it.
If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall accident and you live in the Minneapolis metro area, call BGS. We have over 60 years of combined experience and we’re ready to help you get the compensation you deserve.