It’s a casual day out with friends. You’re enjoying a meal at a popular restaurant. You get up to use the restroom, and the next thing you know, you’re flat on your back and bleeding from the back of your head.

It may sound gruesome, but slip and fall accidents can happen suddenly and without warning. With the potential for serious injury and questions surrounding who is responsible for the injury, you may wonder “do I need a personal injury lawyer for a slip and fall accident?”

The answer of course depends on a variety of factors. While not every slip and fall accident requires the help of a lawyer, seeking legal advice will give you a better idea of the strength of your case and lay out options for you in a way that would be difficult to do on your own.

Fields Law is a personal injury law firm serving clients in Minnesota who have suffered injury. We specialize in helping our clients take the necessary steps to get the compensation they deserve for injuries caused by the negligence of others.

In this blog, Fields Law will help you answer the question “do I need a personal injury lawyer for a slip and fall accident?”, as well as give you some tips for hiring an attorney specializing in slip and fall accidents.

Understanding Liability and Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents occur when someone falls and is injured on property owned by someone else. They’re extremely common, with millions of people each year being treated in emergency rooms for their injuries.

Slip and fall accidents can occur almost anywhere:

• Restaurants,
• Shopping malls or retail outlets
• At the workplace
• Hotels
• Government Buildings
• Amusement Parks
• Parking garages

And the list goes on. While it’s easy to chalk these accidents up to mere clumsiness or a simple failure to pay attention to one’s surroundings, determining who is responsible for a slip and fall injury is more complicated.

Premises Liability: The Heart of a Slip and Fall Accident Claim

At the crux of a slip and fall accident is the concept of premises liability.

It’s a legal principle that asks a simple question: has the owner of a store, restaurant, private residence or public place done everything they should to maintain a safe environment for visitors

Owners of these spaces have a legal duty to maintain a safe environment. When they fail to do so and create a hazard that causes injury to someone, there may be a valid legal claim for the injured party to seek damages.

To have a legal claim for a slip and fall accident, the injured party must be able to prove these elements:

• Owner’s Awareness of the Hazard: The property owner knew or should have known of the danger, such as a spilled liquid or a broken tile.
• Failure to Act: Aware of the hazard, the owner neglected a responsibility to fix the danger.
• Causation: The hazard caused the accident and injuries.
• Damages: That you have suffered actual damages, including personal injury necessitating medical expenses, lost income, or pain and suffering.

Many slip and fall accidents result from wet or icy surfaces, uneven flooring, broken stairs, un-secure handrails, and poor lighting. Most of these issues are preventable if the owner has taken reasonable steps to keep a safe environment.

Why You Should Always Seek Legal Advice for Even a Seemingly Minor Slip and Fall Accident

Not every slip and fall accident may seem like a big deal. While you may initially feel fine, that doesn’t mean you should neglect to seek the professional opinion of a lawyer regarding your accident.

It’s crucial to remember that even a minor injury can sometimes become something more serious over time.

For example, if during the fall you hit your head, but initially feel fine, you could still experience severe headaches that start several days after the event. Some signs of injury can even take weeks or longer to begin showing.

Even in seemingly minor slip and fall accidents, the quicker you seek the input of a personal injury lawyer, the better for your own health and the strength of your case.

It’s also worth mentioning that while you may conduct an initial search for a lawyer using terms like “slip and fall lawyer” or “slip and fall accident attorney”, there is no such legal distinction as a slip and fall lawyer or attorney.

In these cases, you’ll need to search for a personal injury lawyer or attorney, particularly one who specializes in premises liability. These legal professionals will have the most experience in settling claims like yours.

Why You Do Need Legal Advice For Slip and Fall Accident

When there is a significant injury, you should absolutely seek out a personal injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents.

And while you can attempt to represent yourself, doing so without proper legal guidance will be difficult. Here’s why hiring a lawyer for your slip and fall accident can benefit your case:

Proving Negligence is Complex

To have a valid case, you need to prove that the owner of the property was negligent in remedying a hazard on the property. This is easier said than done, as in many cases the owner is likely to claim ignorance of the hazard.

Thus, proving negligence requires concrete evidence.

Think security camera footage, incident reports, maintenance logs, even testimony from eye witnesses or expert witness testimony from safety engineers.

Together, this evidence must establish that the owner had constructive knowledge of the hazard, meaning that they should have known about the danger, even if they claim ignorance.

Gathering all this evidence is much easier with the help of an attorney, allowing you to focus on recovery from your injuries.

An Attorney Can Handle the Insurance Companies for You

Most property owners have insurance for just such an occasion as a slip and fall. However, insurance companies have a profit margin to maintain, and that means minimizing their payouts.

Insurance companies have vast resources and experienced legal teams who may try to downplay the severity of your injuries, or quickly offer a lowball settlement hoping that you’ll take it and that will be the end.

They may even outright deny liability, employ delay tactics, or even blame the accident on your not paying attention.

When you’re already battling a painful injury, you shouldn’t have to battle an insurance company as well. An experienced personal injury lawyer will understand the insurance company’s tactics – and know how to combat them.

A Personal Injury Lawyer for Slip and Fall Accidents Will Accurately Evaluate Your Claim

A personal injury attorney experienced in slip and fall cases will help ensure all your damages are accounted for including:

• Past and Future Medical Expenses: Your damages are more than just your current medical bills. Severe injuries can require extensive hospital stays, surgeries, medications and rehabilitation that can take months or even years.
• Lost Wages: Includes both income you’ve already lost due to injury and potential future earnings if your ability to work is impacted long-term.
• Pain and Suffering: Your physical discomfort, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life and mental stress caused by the injury can be figured into compensation.

Without a personal injury lawyer on your side, it can be difficult if not impossible, to accurately gauge the full value of your claim.

An Attorney Will Help You Avoid Critical Mistakes

The legal system is complex. There are innumerable rules, deadlines, forms and procedures that must be followed, or you can jeopardize your case. Attempting to represent yourself leaves you vulnerable to critical mistakes, or worse yet, the insurance companies or opposing lawyers can coerce you into admitting fault or signing documents that you don’t fully understand. Working with a lawyer is your best shot at leveling the playing field and ensuring that you don’t miss any opportunities due to procedural issues.

Looking For Legal Advice For a Slip And Fall Accident? Contact Fields Law Today

A slip and fall accident can be more than just an embarrassing mishap. It can be a life-altering incident that causes significant physical and emotional damage. While not every case will require legal action, if you’ve recently suffered a significant slip and fall accident due to a property owner’s negligence, your best chance of getting the proper compensation requires the help of a personal injury lawyer.

Remember, when seeking to hire an attorney for slip and fall cases, look for these qualities:

• Specialized experience handling cases similar to yours
• A track record of successful outcomes
• A positive reputation with past clients and colleagues
• Clear and effective communication and responsiveness throughout the process 
• Free initial consultation and contingency basis

At Fields Law, we offer all these qualities and more. We are dedicated to helping our clients with personal injury claims in Minnesota get the compensation they deserve.

Contact Fields Law today for a FREE initial case review. It costs nothing to get your questions answered today. Our representation is always backed with our Win-Win Guarantee – you won’t pay us anything until we win your case.

Call Fields Law today and get the skilled legal representation for your slip and fall accident you deserve.

*DISCLAIMER*

This blog post provides general information regarding slip and fall accidents. Individual cases will vary significantly. For personalized guidance on your specific situation, it is essential to consult with a legal expert licensed in your state.