Grand Rapids Slip and Fall Injury Attorney Seeks Compensation for Victims
Skilled representation for serious injuries and wrongful death
A sudden a slip and fall can result in painful and sometimes debilitating injuries requiring months or even years to heal. In addition, you may face high medical bills and rehabilitative expenses along with loss of income due to inability to work. Fortunately, you may have a legal remedy. If you have been injured on someone else's premises, you should immediately contact an experienced Grand Rapids slip and fall attorney at The Fiorletta Law Group, PLLC. The sooner you retain me, the sooner I can get working to secure the full compensation you deserve.
What is a slip and fall accident?
A guest or other visitor to a commercial or residential property can easily encounter a hidden condition that causes a sudden slip or trip and fall. Common examples of such hazards are:
- Wet floors
- Loose, broken or missing floor tiles
- Potholes on walkways
- Dark passageways
- Debris on stairways
- Icy surfaces
- Loose handrails
A property owner or other person in control of premises has a legal duty to keep them reasonably safe for people who may be expected to enter. The extent of that duty varies with the status of the people injured, namely whether they were:
- Invitees — Owners must protect visitors to a commercial property, such as customers of a restaurant or supermarket, from unreasonable risks the owner knows or should know about and must warn the visitors of dangers, even those that are open and obvious.
- Licensees — Social guests, deliverymen, maintenance providers and others entering for their own benefit are owed a lesser duty of care. The owner must protect them from, or warn them about, hazardous conditions they would not reasonably be expected to discover themselves.
- Trespassers — An owner generally has no duty to protect trespassers from harm nor to warn them about hazards. But if an owner who, although aware of an adult trespasser's presence, engages in conduct likely to cause injury, liability may arise. This awareness is not required if the trespasser is a child.
To understand your rights after a slip and fall, you should speak to an experienced personal injury lawyer.
What to do after slip and fall accident
Property owners may act to remedy a hazard after becoming aware of an accident, thereby destroying evidence you need to prove your case. As soon as possible, you should:
- Take photos of the accident scene, especially the hazard that caused your fall
- Get contact information for potential witnesses
- Get immediate medical attention
Finally, you should contact my office right away, so I can take the necessary steps to prove your case.
How does an attorney prove fault in a slip and fall accident?
A property owner's liability for a slip and fall accident depends on several factors, among them:
- Was the hazard hidden or open and obvious?
- Did the owner have or would a reasonable person have had actual knowledge of the hazard?
- Could the owner have removed or otherwise remedied the hazard before the accident occurred?
- Could the owner have warned visitors about the hazard or have cordoned off the area?
- Did the hazard cause the fall or were there contributing causes?
- Did the fall cause the plaintiff's injuries or aggravate a preexisting condition?
A lawsuit can recover compensation for your present and future medical bills, your present and future lost earnings and your physical and mental pain and suffering. If a slip and fall accident is fatal, a wrongful death suit can reimburse surviving family members for their own losses relating to their loved one's passing.
Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer for a free slip and fall consultation
The Fiorletta Law Group, PLLC in Grand Rapids represents Michigan clients injured in slip and fall accidents. Call 616-717-1334 or contact me online to schedule a free consultation. My office is conveniently located just off I-96.
