Slipping and falling is often considered more embarrassing than it is dangerous. However, many people are badly injured in slip and fall accidents, and the person in charge of the premises might be liable.
Premises liability cases involve accidents and injuries caused by dangerous conditions or hazards on a particular property or premises. Many slip and fall injuries stem from slippery surfaces, damaged fixtures, and unsafe or unclean property conditions. The owner of the property is often the defendant in such a case. Liability for these cases often falls to the property owner because they have a duty of care to remove known hazards, repair known defects, and make reasonable inspections of potential unknown hazards and defects. Important evidence includes photos of the hazards or dangerous conditions, your medical records, and witness testimony.
Suppose you slipped on someone else’s property because the area was unsafe. In that case, the property owner might be responsible, and our Alabama slip and fall injury lawyers can help you sue for damages. For a free case review, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Filing a Lawsuit for a Slip and Fall Injury in Alabama
After a slip and fall accident, you can file a premises liability lawsuit to get compensation for your injuries and expenses. Premises liability law is broad and includes injuries and accidents caused by unsafe property conditions. For example, people injured by slip and falls, broken glass, or falling elevators can file premises liability claims in court.
Often, premises liability concerns are the responsibility of the property owner. Property owners have a duty to make the premise safe for visitors. Visitors might include invited guests and uninvited guests that can be reasonably expected. The property owner might be a private individual, a business, or even the government if the accident happened on public property.
You should consider filing a premises liability case for your slip and fall injuries if you incurred bills and expenses you cannot cover. Medical bills are notoriously high, and many people cannot return to work until they fully recover. In addition, you also deserve compensation for the pain you endured. Our Alabama slip and fall injury attorneys can help you get compensation and justice for your injuries.
How Do Slip and Fall Accidents Happen in Alabama?
There might be any number of causes of a slip and fall accident. Discussing the details of your case with an attorney is important because each accident is unique, and the cause of your accident might be unique to the premises.
One of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents is ice. In the winter, icy sidewalks or pathways are a serious hazard, and people are injured in slip and fall accidents each year. Depending on where you live, laws or local ordinances might require homeowners to clear away ice and snow from the sidewalks in front of their homes. If property owners fail to clear away the ice, a neighbor might slip as they pass by and injure themselves. The same can be said for people who do not clear ice and snow from their walkways or front stairs. A visitor might slip and fall, and the property owner might be liable.
Other slip and fall accident cases stem from damages or defective property. For example, if there is a hole in the floor that the property owner has neglected to repair, they might be liable if someone stepped in the hole and fell. Such an accident could lead to painful foot, ankle, and leg injuries.
There might be other tripping hazards that can cause a slip and fall or tripping accident. For example, if debris is scattered around the premises, it is too easy for someone to slip and fall. This is especially problematic in high-traffic zones where floors and walkways are supposed to remain clear, like shopping malls.
Liability for Slip and Fall Injuries and Accidents in Alabama
In most premises liability cases, the property owner is liable for the accident and can be sued for damages. This is because property owners have a legal duty of care to make the premises safe for guests and visitors. Our Alabama slip and fall injury attorneys can help you assess your damages and take legal action for compensation.
Property owners have a legal obligation or duty to make their property safe. This duty includes removing known hazards and repairing known defects or damage. For example, if someone knows that the stairs in their home are uneven and unsafe, they must repair them before guests come over. If repairs cannot be made or hazards cannot be removed, the property owner should adequately warn visitors about the hazard so they can avoid it.
Property owners also must inspect for unknown hazards and defects. These kinds of inspections are often a part of ordinary maintenance. For example, if a property owner has noticed a change in water pressure in their home, they should make reasonable plumbing inspections to ensure a pipe is not leaking. Leaky pipes can create slipping hazards, and guests might be hurt. These inspections need only be reasonable, and property owners are not expected to inspect every inch of their property for hazards that might or might not exist.
It is worth noting that property owners usually do not owe a duty of care toward unknown trespassers. For example, if a burglar broke into someone’s home and tripped on the homeowner’s rickety stairs, the burglar could not sue the homeowner for damages because the burglar was an unknown trespasser.
Certain uninvited visitors are not considered trespassers if they can reasonably be expected. For example, mail carriers delivering packages to the front step are not trespassers because they are expected to approach the front door with no invitation. As such, they are owed a duty of care and safety.
Evidence you Should Look for in an Alabama Slip and Fall Injury Lawsuit
To prove your claims against the property owner, you need strong evidence that they are at fault. After the accident, taking as many pictures of the area as possible is a good idea. Liability is often based on the hazardous or defective conditions of the property. As such, photographic or video evidence of the property clearly showing unsafe conditions is extremely important.
Our Alabama slip and fall injury attorneys can also help you obtain copies of your medical records. We can use these records to prove to a jury how bad your injuries were. We can have a doctor testify as an expert witness and explain your medical records and injuries if necessary. Experts can also offer their opinions about how they think the accident happened; something ordinary lay witnesses cannot do.
Call Our Alabama Slip and Fall Injury Lawyers for A Free Case Evaluation
If you fell and were injured on someone else’s property, our Alabama slip and fall injury attorneys can help you start a lawsuit for damages. For a free case review, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
