Hamilton County Slip and Fall Lawyer
A slip and fall accident could happen to us at any age and at any moment. Depending on the circumstances, a slip and fall could leave you with serious and even debilitating injuries, such as broken bones, sprains, cuts, internal bleeding, a ruptured or herniated disc, and head trauma. Whether you are able to obtain compensation for your injuries could be dictated by the principles of premises liability.
Following a slip and fall, it may be a good idea for you to contact a Hamilton County slip and fall lawyer. It is very possible that, with the help of a personal injury attorney, you could hold the property owner accountable for your injuries and be awarded compensation. In Tennessee, those who have wrongfully been injured may qualify for monetary compensation covering past and future medical bills, lost wages, miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses, pain and suffering, and more.
How Slip and Falls Occur
There are many potentially dangerous conditions that could lead to a slip and fall. Causes of slip and falls could be grouped into the following categories:
Surface Conditions
The textbook example of a slip and fall accident is when a patron of a store steps into liquid spilled on the floor and loses his or her footing. Other dangerous surface conditions include recently mopped or waxed floors, potholes in a parking lot, and ice that has not been salted.
Environmental Conditions
An experienced Hamilton slip and fall lawyer is also likely to have represented plaintiffs who have been injured by environmental conditions such as debris on the ground, loose cords, poor lighting, or bright lighting that causes the floor to glare.
Stairs and Ladders
Slip and fall accidents also commonly take place because of improperly maintained stairs or ladders. Examples include broken stair steps, rickety or nonexistence railings, and brittle ladder rungs.
Establishing Property Owner Liability
Just because an individual slips and is hurt somewhere does not automatically mean he or she is entitled to compensation. In pursuing damages under a theory of premises liability, a plaintiff must be able to show that his or her injuries were caused by the negligence of the property owner.
More specifically, the plaintiff and a Hamilton County slip and fall attorney bear the burden of establishing the following so-called “elements” of a premises liability claim:
- The owner of the property – or someone maintaining the property on the owner’s behalf – either created a dangerous condition or permitted a dangerous condition to exist
- The dangerous condition caused the plaintiff to suffer an injury
- The property owner or the party responsible for maintaining the premises knew or should have known about the dangerous condition before it caused the plaintiff’s injury
In Tennessee, under the rule of comparative negligence, a slip and fall plaintiff who is found to have been 50 percent or more at fault is ineligible for money damages.
Speak with a Hamilton County Slip and Fall Attorney Today
A serious slip and fall injury could happen in the blink of an eye and yet leave you with long-lasting injuries, not to mention piles of medical bills and perhaps the inability to return to work and earn a living. Fortunately, you may be able to obtain compensation by filing a claim for damages against the property owner. Contact a Hamilton County slip and fall lawyer today for information on what options might be available to you during this difficult time.
