Slip and fall accidents can be very serious, causing debilitating injuries that affect your life in major ways. While it is commonly believed that older adults are most prone to falling, people of all ages are vulnerable to tripping and falling, especially when walking on improperly maintained property. As with any other type of accident, it is upsetting to know you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence. When someone is hurt in a nasty fall, the person responsible for maintaining the property should be held responsible.
A slip and fall accident could occur at any time, in any place, and under any conditions. You could slip inside on a wet floor or outside on an icy walkway. After a slip and fall accident, you should seek medical attention immediately. You need to make sure you are physically okay and have any injures tended to. You also need to begin documenting your injuries so you can calculate damages. People injured in slip and falls often can claim more than just medical bills as part of their damages.
If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident, speak with a lawyer about the possibility of a lawsuit. Our Bucks County slip and fall attorneys can help you determine who is at fault and how you should be compensated. Call the Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940 to set up a free legal consultation with our team.
Typical Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Bucks County has a thriving business community, with more than 50 shopping centers, including the well-known Oxford Valley and Neshaminy Malls. The town of New Hope is one of the county’s main tourist attractions, known for its lively arts community and fine restaurants. Bucks County also has 40 hotels, numerous old farmhouses, and several parks. In a community with so many places to walk, slip and fall accidents are bound to occur frequently.
Slip and falls commonly happen on surfaces that are wet, slick, or slippery. They can also happen on floors or uneven stairs because of poor construction or a lack of maintenance. You could potentially slip and fall in a number of ways:
- Slipping on a wet floor
- Tripping over an obstacle
- Falling over a defective railing
- Slipping and falling on ice
Though some falls are caused by simply losing one’s balance, many are caused by happenstance. You are visiting a store, checking into a hotel room, or walking in a park when suddenly something obstructs your path and you fall to the ground, injured. When the fall takes place on someone else’s premises, it is most often caused by the property owner’s negligence. Yet, it is not the responsible party who suffers; it is you. The physical and emotional pain, medical bills, and lost wages that ensue can be overwhelming.
If you were injured after a nasty fall, discuss your case with our Bucks County slip and fall attorneys. Whoever was supposed to keep the premises safe should be held responsible for their negligence.
Damages for Slip and Fall Accidents in Bucks County
Whether you fell while window shopping at Macy’s, getting breakfast at Nina’s Waffle and Ice Cream House, entering the lobby of the Black Bass Hotel, or visiting the concession stand at Bowman’s Hill Park, you have the right to be compensated. Whatever the case may be, the lawyers at The Reiff Law Firm can help ensure that the responsible party is held accountable for the negligence that caused your injuries—and can guide you through the complexities of the legal process. It is especially important to hire a lawyer in a slip and fall case, where the injured party is commonly blamed for their own misfortune.
Medical Expenses
Damages for a slip and fall can be quite severe. When someone falls, they might fall in a very awkward position and end up severely injuring themselves. They could break bones, suffer head injuries, or severely injure their back. When injuries are severe, medical bills are very expensive. You can claim all your medical costs, including the costs of medication, doctor visits, physical therapy, and other treatments, as part of your overall damages.
Lost Wages
Some people are so hurt after a slip and fall that they have to take time away from their jobs to recover. For many, this is not paid time off. Losing wages while incurring massive medical debt is a disastrous combination. To make up for lost earnings, you can include those lost earnings in your damages. The longer you are out of work, the more you can claim. You may even claim lost future earnings if you cannot return to work for the foreseeable future.
Pain and Suffering
The mental and physical anguish from a slip and fall accident may also be compensated. The physical pain from your injuries can be excruciating. Not only that but recovering from any traumatic event is emotionally draining. You can argue that the emotional and physical pain and suffering you endured has seriously impacted your life, and we can claim additional damages.
No matter how cautious you are, it is always possible to fall and become seriously injured. Therefore, it is important to understand what your legal rights are in the event that this should happen to you. To get help with your case, call our Bucks County slip and fall lawyers.
Who Is Responsible for a Slip and Fall Accident in Bucks County?
After a bad fall in which you suffer serious injuries, you will need to identify the person responsible for your accident. In many cases, the person who owns the property can be sued. However, this is not necessarily the case in every accident. Talk to our Bucks County slip and fall attorneys if you are confused about whom should sue for your injuries.
The identity of your defendant is not always clear. Your defendant’s identity may depend on where your fall happened and who owned the property. It also could depend on why you were on the property where the fall happened. Your relationship with the property owner might affect the kind of duty of care they owed you when the accident happened.
For example, if you are an unlawful trespasser, you might not be able to sue at all. You could not hold a property owner responsible for your slip and fall accident if you were not allowed on the property in the first place. On the other hand, if you were a store customer, you could sue the store owner as they owe a duty of care to their customers.
If you fell in a public space, you might have to sue a government agency or entity. For example, you might be able to sue SEPTA if your fall happened at a SEPTA train station on defective stairs. Be warned, suing municipalities or government agencies often involves additional rules, such as providing advanced notice of the lawsuit to the city.
Could You Be Responsible for Your Own Slip and Fall Accident?
When considering a lawsuit for a slip and fall accident, it is important to analyze the role your actions played in the incident. Although it may be difficult to admit, sometimes people contribute to their own accidents and injuries. According to 42 Pa.C.S. § 7102, Pennsylvania follows a rule of modified comparative negligence.
Under the rule mentioned above, a plaintiff could end up with damages reduced in proportion to their negligence for the slip and fall accident. For example, if you are determined to be 25% to blame for the incident, your total damages will be reduced by 25%. However, once your negligence exceeds 50%, you will be prohibited from recovering anything.
Slip and falls are accidental. In these cases, comparative negligence does not mean the court believes you fell on purpose. However, it might mean that the court believes you ignored warnings or were otherwise behaving recklessly.
Scenarios where a person is responsible for their own accident could include ignoring warnings like wet floor signs or other posted instructions. However, if you are accused of disregarding warning signs, we can argue that the warning signs were unclear or improperly placed. Alternatively, someone behaving in a dangerous way when they fell might be responsible for their accident. If someone is purposefully running and sliding across an icy sidewalk because they think it is fun, they probably cannot sue if they fall and hurt themselves.
Depending on your circumstances, you might be able to sue but only for more limited damages. However, you could also be barred from suing if you were entirely responsible. For help with your lawsuit, contact our Bucks County slip and fall lawyers.
Slip and Fall Attorneys in Bucks County You Can Rely on
If you have been injured in a slip and fall, contact the experienced legal team at The Reiff Law Firm. We understand how devastating such an injury can be and will give you the kind of support you need. Call us at (215) 709-6940 to schedule a free legal consultation.
