You’ve slipped on a wet floor inside a grocery store and now you’ve got serious back injuries. Accidents happen right? While it may seem like just an unfortunate accident, that may not always be the case. Grocery stores, department stores, and businesses have a responsibility to ensure a safe environment for their customers. This includes taking necessary safety precautions during bad weather, cleaning up spills quickly, and fixing any known hazards. When they fail to do so, they can be held responsible for any accidents that occur because of their negligence. Here is what you need to know before you decide whether or not to file a slip and fall claim:
If you’ve been hurt in a slip and fall accident, the first thing you should do is to report the accident to the premises owner or the highest ranking manager you can find. If you get hurt on public property, report the accident and injury to the city or town as soon as you are able. The manager or owner will likely fill out an incident report immediately and this will provide documentation of the events as they unfolded.
If you are able, gather the names and contact numbers for any eye witnesses and snap some pictures of the scene. Carpet tears, wet floors, and improper lighting in parking lots are just some of the pictures you could take to show how your accident unfolded. If you slipped on snow or ice, the condition of the parking lot and the snow and ice on the lot is important to document. Without pictures, it can be difficult to prove that negligence occurred.
Insurance companies don’t like to pay money unless they have to. If you aren’t injured enough to seek medical attention immediately, they may deny your claim. When you go the emergency room or doctor’s office, be sure to tell them that your injury occurred because you recently slipped and fell in a store. This will help when you file a claim because there will be a written report that your injury occurred immediately after your accident.
Big businesses and insurance companies will try everything they can think of to reduce their claims. As such, you need to hire a local personal injury attorney to represent you. Your attorney will examine your accident, review the evidence, and determine if you have cause to file a claim against the negligent party. Be honest with your lawyer about any pre-existing conditions or circumstances that may have played a role in your accident. For example, if you slipped because you were wearing brand new stiletto heels, then your attorney needs to know that prior to filing your claim. Your attorney will be able to negotiate with the insurance companies to arrive at a settlement that is fair and just, so you can recover from your injuries.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a slip and fall accident in Arvada or anywhere in Northern Colorado, you need a lawyer on your side to investigate your accident and pursue legal action. At Hull & Zimmerman, our committed personal injury lawyers are dedicated to the belief that everyone deserves justice. Contact us at (303) 423-1770 or (866) 385-3505.
In addition to Arvada, our slip and fall injury lawyers have extensive experience representing injured accident victims throughout Colorado including Broomfield, Superior, Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Brighton, Commerce City, Northglenn, Westminster, Thornton, Longmont.
At Hull & Zimmerman, P.C., we are honored to help accident victims in their time of need, and take our responsibility as personal injury lawyers incredibly seriously. We know how important it is for victims to secure the full and fair compensation they need following a serious accident, and that is why we take a hands-on, personalized approach to every case we handle.
awarded to a woman who was a victim of a car crash. The woman was driving the highway when the other driver approaching from the opposite direction lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line and hit her head on. She suffered multiple broken bones, including her hip, pelvis, leg, and right arm. She missed several years of work as a result of her injuries. Read More
awarded to a woman who was the victim of a t-bone car crash. The client suffered multiple injuries. The most significant of which was a head injury. While she was ultimately able to return to work on a part-time basis, Plaintiff was never able to return to work on a full-time basis. Read More
settlement awarded to a lady who suffered a head injury. She slipped and fell in a slanted parking lot at her place of employment. Evidence demonstrated that the owner of the building had constructed a fence shading the parking lot such that ice was allowed to continuously accumulate during the winter months. Multiple people had fallen on the ice prior to the client’s fall. As a result of her injuries, Plaintiff was forced to take early retirement. Read More
awarded to a man whose vehicle was hit from behind by a semi. The injured party suffered back pain and rotator cuff tears in each shoulder and was forced to retire from his job doing road repair four years earlier. Read More
settlement (policy limits) awarded to a young man who lost his eye when another child shot an arrow into the air. Read More
settlement obtained for a man who was injured in a rear end automobile accident. He suffered a herniated disc in his low back which was not well resolved by surgery forcing him to leave his employment as an apartment maintenance manager. Read More
awarded to a gentleman in association with a workman’s compensation case. He initially sustained a head injury at work when attacked by a patient. Several years later, his condition worsened resulting in his inability to return to work in his usual job. Read More
settlement achieved in a legal malpractice case. The client initially suffered a herniated disc in her neck in association with an automobile accident. The attorney failed to file the lawsuit in a timely manner and the Plaintiff was initially denied her ability to achieve any monies from the original lawsuit. Read More
settlement awarded to a man who was a victim of an automobile accident. Plaintiff was a passenger who was rear-ended by another driver. Following the accident, he suffered a long term back injury. Read More
settlement awarded to a lady who aggravated a pre-existing back condition when she slipped and fell at the entrance to a casino. Read More
awarded to a woman who suffered a rotator cuff tear from an automobile accident. Read More