Slip And Fall Attorney Salt Lake City

Whether you’re on privately controlled, or commercially owned property, you have the right to exist without fear of being injured. Simple things like walking downstairs, playing by a pool, or living in an apartment shouldn’t have hazards attached to them, but it’s unfortunate that many premises do.

The National Floor Safety Institute compiles data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other resources to help combat premises negligence. Roughly 800,000 people are hospitalized annually across the nation accidents related to slips and falls, many of which are preventable with simple measures, according to NFSI data.

The Jardine Law Offices P.C., who are experts at litigating slip and fall incidents, provide expert advocacy and skilled litigation courtesy of a Salt Lake City slip and fall attorney with over 100 trials under his belt.

Types of Slips and Falls

Unexpected accidents may happen wherever there’s a flat or sloped surface. Even exercising extreme caution may not prevent an accidental fall down the stairs, or loss of balance on flat surfaces resulting in a head injury. Our office commonly finds slip and fall claims stem from negligence at the following premises:

• Hotels: Maintenance may not catch all problems within a hotel, which may cause innocent guests to fall down flights of stairs or injure themselves on pool ladders or diving boards.
• Apartments: Landlords must provide stairs and living quarters safe enough to withstand constant traffic, although some cut corners and ‘patch’ problems instead of rebuilding them properly.
• Restaurants: Notorious for failing to put out wet floor signs, restaurants are historically lax where safety is concerned.
• Work: Whether the most common areas our Salt Lake City slip and fall attorney practices involves slips and falls at work, many of which can be prevented if maintenance or others responsible for floor care would just put out signage.
• Grocery Stores: It is all too common to have something on the floor for an extended period in grocery stores.  This can be caused by store employees or even other patrons.  Stores have the duty to keep their stores safe and to conduct regular “sweeps” of the premises to ensure safety.  We have been successful in obtaining favorable results for many patrons of grocery stores.

The Centers for Disease Control estimated 25,000 fall deaths occurred in 2013 alone, many of these victims being older adults. 16% of all fall claims happened at work, a telltale sign that employers put little effort into floor and stair safety.

Most Common Salt Lake City Slip And Fall Injuries

Slip and fall accidents in Salt Lake City often result in severe injuries for victims. At the Jardine Law Offices P.C., it is not uncommon for our attorneys to help clients who have sustained the following injuries:

• Severe sprains and strains
• Lacerations or puncture wounds
• Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions
• Open head wounds
• Injuries to the face, mouth, teeth, etc.
• Broken or dislocated bones
• Wrist/arm injuries
• Knee injuries
• Foot injuries

Each of these injuries, and others, can result in a victim needing to undergo significant medical care. Additionally, slip and fall accident victims in Salt Lake City may not be able to work or conduct their daily activities while they recovered. In some cases, slip and fall injury victims are temporarily or permanently disabled due to the injuries they sustain.

Time Limit To File A Slip And Fall Accident Case In Salt Lake City

Victims of slip and fall injuries have a limited amount of time to file lawsuits to recover compensation for their losses. The Utah personal injury statute of limitations applies in these cases and is four years from the date an injury occurs. This means that a slip and fall accident victim has a four-year window with which to file a lawsuit against the alleged negligent property owner in the case. If a Salt Lake City slip and fall victim fails to file a lawsuit within this time frame, they will likely lose the ability to recover compensation for their losses.

What Type Of Compensation Is Available For Salt Lake City Slip And Fall Case?

If you or a loved one have been injured in a slip and fall accident caused by the negligence of another party, there may be various types of compensation available for your case. At the Jardine Law Offices P.C., our Salt Lake City slip and fall accident lawyers regularly help clients recover the following:

• Full compensation for medical bills caused by the slip and fall
• Lost income if a victim is unable to work while recovering
• Any household out-of-pocket expenses a victim incurs
• Loss of quality of life damages
• Pain and suffering damages

What Does It Take To Prove Liability In A Salt Lake City Slip And Fall Case?

The most important aspect of a successful slip and fall, premises liability case is determining the liability of other parties involved. When a slip and fall accident victim turns to a skilled Salt Lake City personal injury lawyer for help, they are gaining the resources and legal expertise necessary to do the following:

• Obtain any evidence needed to prove liability, including photo or video surveillance of the incident, property owner safety records, accident reports, statements from eyewitnesses, and more. If you can take pictures of the accident scene the very day or moment it occurred, that will help us present your best case.
• Work with trusted medical professionals to evaluate the injuries and help determine the best path forward to reach maximum medical improvement.
• Enlist the assistance of economic and financial experts who can help evaluate the case and determine total expected losses.
• Employ premises liability experts to evaluate the failure of the landlord to keep the premises safe
• Negotiate with every party involved to reach a fair settlement on behalf of the client or prepare to take the case to trial if necessary.

If You Slip and Fall, Give Jardine A Call!

Premises owners must comply with state and federal safety regulations to assure patrons, or renters, are kept safe when traversing their property. Because there are certain rules our attorneys must follow, proving cases qualify for compensation is no small order, so litigants who may choose to fight negligent property owners may find winning their case equally challenging and unfulfilling.

The Jardine Law Offices P.C. encourages those who’ve endured slip and fall injuries to seek medical attention, while also capturing photos (if possible) of the accident scene. The more evidence we can present in court, the more substantial our chances of victory become.

Remember, the best cases are the cases where we can prove that the landlord or business had actual notice of a dangerous condition and simply failed to protect the public. Sometimes it is as simple as not putting out warning signs or cones.  Sometimes a landlord will leave a pothole in the driveway or parking lot for months because they are just too cheap to fix it. Sometimes a maintenance crew will leave a manhole cover off, or lose it. If properly documented, any of these failures will lead to a successful slip-and-fall case.

Many attorneys refer to slip-and-fall cases as slip-and-lose cases, meaning that these cases can be difficult to win. Not every case is a winner. The simple fact that you fell and hurt yourself does not necessarily mean that your injuries are compensable. We at Jardine Law Offices P.C. have recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars for our clients in slip-and-fall cases. We know good cases from bad ones. If we take your case, odds are you will receive compensation for your injuries. We view that compensation as a means to return to your life as normal. Sometimes, where injuries are severe, that is not always possible, but our commitment is to fight for justice on your behalf.

Contact our Salt Lake City slip and fall attorney today for a no-cost slip and fall accident evaluation. Remember, when you’re injured from a slip and fall, contact us!