Why Midwest Injury Lawyers?
After a slip and fall injury, you want Midwest Injury Lawyers on your side. When you hire our Chicago slip and fall attorneys, we will provide you with the best possible legal representation, help you get the best medical care possible for your injuries, and protect you from insurance companies who are just waiting to take advantage of your lack of skills and experience with personal injuries. We aim to help you receive full and fair compensation for your injuries as quickly as possible.
At Midwest Injury Lawyers, we believe everyone deserves skilled legal representation when the negligence of others causes them physical injuries. Our attorneys have a commitment to the law—not just for the paycheck but to help injured people just like you recover the compensation they deserve. We have a robust reputation for always going the extra mile to serve our clients and helping them get their lives back on track after suffering an injury, such as in a slip and fall accident. In addition, we are dedicated to helping the community learn about their rights after suffering a personal injury.
Liability in Slip and Fall Claims
According to the National Floor Safety Council (NFSI), over 8 million, or just over 20 percent of hospital emergency room admissions, are due to falls. Slip and falls send over one million people to the emergency room annually, which equates to 12 percent of all falls. It’s also worth noting that while slip and fall accidents aren’t a primary cause of fatal occupational injuries, they are the primary cause of lost days from work.
Proving these slip and fall claims can present many challenges. Many people involved in slip and fall claims hire experienced Chicago slip and fall attorneys to help them prove that the property owner was negligent and that is what caused their injuries.
One of the keys to getting the best possible outcome is proving that the property owner or an agent acting on their behalf knew or should have reasonably known that a dangerous condition existed. Furthermore, the injured party must show that they did nothing to fix it, warn about it, or otherwise keep them safe from the hazardous condition.
If there are witnesses or surveillance footage to prove that the property owner knew of the danger but did nothing, this will help prove your claim. Without this type of evidence, proving their negligence can be a problem. It might come down to their word against yours, which is why you need representation from skilled Chicago slip and fall lawyers.
Suppose another grocery store customer spilled cooking oil on the floor and walked away. Surveillance footage shows her informing an employee of the spill. It also shows another employee walking by the spill, looking down, and continuing on their way. Shortly after, you enter that aisle, slip on the oil, and fall.
In this case, your lawyer might hold the property owner liable. Their employees must either clean up the spill within a reasonable time or at least place a wet floor sign next to the spill to warn other customers. If they had done so, you wouldn’t have slipped and fell. However, suppose there isn’t surveillance footage or eyewitnesses. In that case, there’s no way to tell how long the spill had been there and whether the employees knew about it.
What Causes Slips and Falls?
Many different factors and circumstances can contribute to a slip and fall incident. Whatever causes them, most victims are caught by surprise—one minute, they were walking and were fine, and the next, they were lying on the ground or floor in pain.
Sidewalk and Parking Lot Conditions
Sidewalks and parking lots need proper maintenance. If they aren’t, they can crumble, create potholes, and otherwise create falling hazards.
Chicago sees plenty of snow, ice, and other wintry conditions. It’s also the property owner’s duty to ensure that they clear, shovel, and treat their parking lots and sidewalks to prevent ice build-up. They need to be aware of the forecast and current weather conditions, anticipating what they will need to do.
If they don’t take this duty seriously, fail to follow through, and someone slips and falls, they should be liable for their damages. They may need to hire a company to handle this task but must ensure it gets done. Even if the company doesn’t show up when it should, the property owner is still responsible for clearing their sidewalks and parking lots to make them safer for their patrons.
Wet Floors
Floors inside a grocery store, mall, medical office building, or any other place where people frequent can become wet. Sometimes it’s from the rain, snow, or ice outside, and other times it’s from a spill. Business owners have a duty to ensure that they clean up messes on the floor as soon as they become aware of them.
For example, suppose a patron informs them of the problem or an employee walks by and ignores it. In that case, they can be liable for the injuries that someone sustains as a result. The same applies to other substances that can make the floor slick, such as floor wax, grapes, other produce, or other foods.
Floor Conditions and Flooring Materials
Floors and flooring materials contribute directly to over two million annual fall injuries. Some flooring materials are simply slicker than others or more hazardous for another reason. Other floors aren’t maintained properly and wind up in poor condition. Carpet that is coming loose, torn, or otherwise damaged, broken or missing tiles, and other damage to floors can make them a prime slip and fall hazard.
Clutter and Cords
Businesses must also ensure that their walkways, aisles, and hallways are free of boxes and other clutter to prevent falls. Electric or extension cords should be secured to the floor by tape or ideally plugged in closer to whatever they are powering.
Entryway Rugs
Many businesses have entry rugs to help soak up moisture from the outside, such as snow from customers’ shoes that melt. While these help prevent slip and fall accidents due to a wet floor, they can also increase the risk of falling if they are too damp, bunched, or rolled up.
Consult With A Lawyer
Finally, you should always consult with a slip and fall lawyer in Chicago. We can evaluate what happened and advise you of your legal rights and options.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall in a Public Place
Get medical attention
Get medical attention. Even if you didn’t need an ambulance to receive treatment at the scene of your fall or go to the hospital, you should still always seek same-day medical attention. Tell your medical provider precisely where, when, and how you suffered an injury. Follow all of your doctor’s orders. Having a prompt diagnosis and following your treatment plan are not only critical for your health, but also to proving your injuries to the insurance companies.
Document the event in writing.
While the incident is still fresh in your mind, write down what you remember about your slip and fall. Include what you were doing before, during, and after the fall. You might find it easiest to make notes on your phone shortly after the fall and put them in writing later.
File a report of the accident
File a report of the accident. If you can, report your fall to the property owner or manager before leaving the location or as soon as you are in stable physical condition. Provide a detailed description of the accident. Tell the property owner how you fell and suffered injuries. Don’t fill in uncertain details, make assumptions, or exaggerate what happened Don’t sign any waivers. Don’t sign anything if the property owner or an insurance company presents you with waivers or any other types of agreements. Without a knowledgeable Chicago slip and fall lawyer present to represent your interests, you might be signing away your right to a personal injury claim.
Don’t speak with insurance companies without representation.
The insurer for the business might reach out to speak with you shortly after your injuries. They are seeking any information that can help to avoid liability or minimize your settlement. If the adjuster tells you that you don’t need an attorney, don’t believe them.
Chicago Slip and Fall FAQs
When you first meet with Chicago slip and fall attorneys, you should discuss their costs and fees. You need to know how your attorney will get paid and what other costs you’ll need to pay, such as photocopy charges and court filing fees.
However, most injury lawyers receive payments on a contingency fee basis. With a contingency fee, you won’t need to pay them from your own pocket or fork over a retainer fee to hire them. Instead, when your claim settles, they’ll receive a pre-arranged percentage of your compensation. If your claim doesn’t settle or you don’t receive a court award, you owe the attorney nothing for their services, and they take the loss. If you do receive compensation, your attorney will take their cut of fees off the top.
Determining what your slip and fall case might be worth can be a complicated process. Still, well-versed Chicago slip and fall attorneys can typically give you an estimate of what you can receive for your damages. Your damages represent the financial and other losses you suffer because of your injuries. Most injured individuals have economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages or special damages are the financial losses you’ve experienced or the costs you’ve incurred. Calculating these damages is usually easy because they already have a value attached to them.
Examples of economic damages include:
- Medical expenses, including prescriptions or equipment
- Lost income and future earnings
- Travel expenses for medical appointments
- Property damage—for example, if your wedding ring or watch sustained damage in the fall
Non-economic damages or general damages don’t have a predetermined value.
They are subjective and can include the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
- Humiliation
In addition to damages, there are other factors beyond your control that can impact your claim’s value. Your Chicago slip and fall lawyers can help mitigate the detrimental factors to maximize your case’s value.
Contact the Skilled Chicago Slip and Fall Attorneys at Midwest Injury Lawyers Today
Suppose you recently suffered a slip and fall injury. In that case, our Chicago slip and fall attorneys know the severe impacts it can have on nearly every aspect of your life. Reach out to a Chicago personal injury lawyer. You might not participate in the activities you once enjoyed; you might not go to work; you might need to take medication that gives you side effects, and your relationships might have been impacted. You might also be worried about how you will afford your ordinary living expenses plus now all of your medical expenses.
Such a personal injury is an enormous burden, but you don’t have to do it alone. Midwest Injury Lawyers is here for you. You can reach our legal team by phone at (312) 786-5881 or online. Contact us today for your free, no-obligation case consultation.
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Midwest Injury Lawyers – Chicago Office
155 N Upper Wacker Drive, Suite 4250
Chicago, IL 60606
P: (312) 786-5881
A Word from Our Slip and Fall Injury Attorney
Slip and fall cases often result in serious and debilitating injuries. However, insurance companies will often try to point the finger at the victim of the accident rather than compensate them. It is extremely important in these types of cases to speak with an attorney as soon as possible so the other side doesn’t gain an early competitive advantage.
– Samuel R. Carl
Request a Free Consultation
Tell our experienced team about your accident and/or injuries. One of our personal injury attorneys will contact you to schedule a free case evaluation. Remember: you won’t pay for anything unless we secure a compensation on your behalf.
Call (312) 786-5881 or send us a message online to get started.