DuBois Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer

If you were injured in a slip-and-fall accident, you might be experiencing physical and emotional pain and high medical expenses. If you have to take time off work to heal, this sudden loss of income can make a challenging situation even more difficult. You shouldn’t have to suffer the effects of someone else’s negligence without compensation. Our Dubois slip and fall injury lawyer can help you recover what you are owed.

You should be repaid for the harm you have suffered due to someone else’s negligence. Without legal assistance, you would be forced to shoulder the legal process and your own recovery at the same time. At Berger and Green, we are prepared to face liable parties and insurance companies, negotiate for your financial award, and take the lead on your case. While we fight for your financial recovery, you can focus on your physical and emotional health.

How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You Secure Compensation

In your slip-and-fall case, our attorney will be responsible for handling tasks that help you recover fair compensation for your damages, such as:

• Investigating the accident, gathering evidence, and consulting with experts to support your case
• Demonstrating the extent and cost of your damages using medical and employment records and statements from family or friends
• Negotiating a settlement with the insurance company
• Taking your case to trial and representing your best interests, if required
• Communicating with insurance companies and the at-fault party on your behalf
• Meeting deadlines and filing requirements for your case
• Answering questions and concerns in a timely manner
• Providing case updates and navigating legal hurdles with your collaboration

Proving Negligence in a DuBois Slip and Fall Accident

Pennsylvania premises liability law requires that a property owner maintain their property according to safety standards. However, they are not strictly liable for your injuries. Your attorneys must be able to prove that their negligence led to your injuries.

In slip and fall cases, specific elements must be present to demonstrate a property owner’s negligence:

1. Establishing a duty of care. For example, they may have had a duty to maintain their property and repair hazards or post warnings to visitors.
2. Proving the property owner violated or breached their duty of care. By allowing a hazard to exist that could cause harm to others, they neglected their duty of care to guests or residents.
3. Demonstrating the breach of duty was the actual and proximate cause of your injuries.
4. Proving you sustained quantifiable losses due to your injury, represented in the claim. These are your financial and personal losses.

Recoverable Damages in a Slip and Fall Claim

You may be entitled to compensation for any of the following:

Economic Damages

Economic damages represent financial losses associated with an injury, which can be steep and ongoing. These damages will have an obvious financial cost associated with them, as evidenced by bills, receipts, and expert estimations. Common economic damages include the following:

• Medical bills, such as ambulance rides, emergency treatment, hospitalization, diagnostic tests, doctor’s visits, and medication
• Loss of past and future income
• Diminished earning capacity

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are personal losses experienced by the injury victim that cannot be easily calculated using bills and receipts. It can be challenging to put a price on these damages because they are subjective.

Common damages in this category may include the following:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Permanent physical impairment
• Loss of quality and enjoyment of life

Lawyers estimate these damages using legal calculations and talking with family, friends, and others who can testify about how these issues have impacted your life and well-being.

Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

A slip and fall accident can occur under a variety of conditions, such as:

• Standing water on the floor
• Sidewalk cracks
• Tripping hazards, such as electric cords or debris
• Unstable stairways or broken handrails
• Newly mopped or waxed floors
• Cluttered hallways or walkways
• Loose or broken floorboards
• Uneven floor surfaces, such as torn carpeting
• Poor lighting and visibility
• Parking lot potholes or cracked pavement

Common Locations for Slip and Fall Accidents

These dangers can be found on both private and public property, including the following:

• Retail stores, such as grocery or convenience stores
• Shopping centers
• Sidewalks and parking lots
• Construction sites
• Restaurants and bars
• Private residences
• Nursing homes
• Movie theaters
• Office buildings
• Public parks

Regardless of the harm you’ve suffered, where it occurred, and the unique circumstances involved, you are entitled to seek legal counsel. We can advise you on building a case against the liable party if their negligence led to your injuries.

How Is the Injured Victim’s Reason for Being on the Property Relevant?

Premises liability law in Pennsylvania defines the amount of responsibility expected by the property owner as determined by the person’s reason for being on the property. Property owners have different responsibilities to visitors on their property depending on whether they are invitees, licensees, or trespassers.

Invitee

A business invitee is a person the owner invites to enter their property, for a business purpose. Examples include store customers and those who conduct business for the property owner’s benefit. The property owner’s duty to invitees is to ensure the premises are reasonably safe, meaning they are responsible for injuries sustained due to a hazard on their property of which they should have been aware.

Licensee

An example of a licensee is a person who enters premises for their own reasons, such as a social guest on private property. The property owner’s obligation to licensees is to forewarn them about existing hazards that are not apparent to the licensee.

Trespasser

A person who enters a premises without a legal right to be present is considered a trespasser. People who are injured while trespassing are not necessarily restricted from pursuing compensation. An attorney can advise you if you were believed to be trespassing while you were injured on another person’s property.

Contact a DuBois Slip and Fall Attorney Today

If you were injured in a slip-and-fall accident, the DuBois Slip and Fall attorneys at Berger and Green can help you seek the compensation you deserve. We can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf using the evidence we gather to present a solid case. Contact us today for a free consultation and learn more about your legal rights and options.