Did you know that slips and falls are among the leading causes of injury in the US? Since this type of accident can occur virtually anywhere outside your home, there’s always the chance that you could be injured. While some accidents don’t merit medical or legal assistance, slip and fall attorneys can be of great help when your injuries are more serious.
Determining the viability of your case
It’s important to remember that injuring yourself in a public place doesn’t necessarily mean you have a case against the property owner. While a grocery store failing to put up signage to warn about a spill on the floor in a public area can be seen as negligent, an injury sustained as a result of wandering around in restricted areas without permission is often not. Seeking the counsel of slip and fall attorneys can help you evaluate the situation and whether anyone can be held accountable for the injuries you sustained.
If it’s determined you do have a case, personal injury attorneys will typically work on contingency. This means that they only get paid when you win your case in court or receive a settlement.
Assessing the damage
One of the very first steps slip and fall attorneys take is to ensure you’ve sought medical care if you haven’t already done so. Until you’re evaluated by a medical professional, there’s no way to know the extent of your injuries or begin framing your case. This is also the stage where your lawyer will consider how much time off work you’ve been taking because of the injury or the treatment for it. Lost wages are just as important to your overall settlement amount as your medical expenses.
Preparing for trial
While you’re devoting your time and energy to healing and recovering from your accident, slip and fall attorneys work behind the scenes to ensure that all the necessary paperwork has been filed to set the stage for your trial. Of course, most slip and fall cases won’t reach the courtroom because businesses will often try to settle to avoid the bad publicity and expense they bring. Remember, your accident lawyer is legally required to bring any settlement offers to you, even if they believe you should not accept. Ultimately, only you can decide if you’re willing to accept an offer or if you want to risk walking away with nothing by going through with a trial.