Santa Clarita Slip and Fall Lawyer

Slip, Trip, or Fall Accidents in Santa Clarita

Anyone who owns a property is responsible for keeping occupants and visitors safe from potentially dangerous conditions that could result in trip and fall incidents. These accidents are extremely common and can result in serious injuries. An entire range of hazards can occur on a poorly maintained property, including slippery floors, poor structural integrity, uneven sidewalks, and much more. Proving that someone is at fault when you are injured because of possible negligence can be difficult to prove. Engaging the services of an experienced Santa Clarita slip and fall lawyer is essential to prove your case against a negligent building or premises owner or occupant. If you believe your injury was caused by someone else's negligence, your next step after seeking medical attention should be contacting Injured 661 for legal help.

Common Causes of Injuries Involving Slips and Falls

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note that over one million Americans suffer from trip and fall accidents. More than 17,000 of these accidents result in death. Many common situations cause slips and falls. These include:

Slippery, wet floors, often with spills
Inadequate lighting
Obstructed paths or aisles,
Unsecured cords and cables
Lack of safety features like handrails
Uneven floors and sidewalks
Unsafe stairways and ramps
Unsecured ladders

Property owners who are made aware of a dangerous situation must remedy the hazard in a timely manner. Failure to do so can result in liability, even if there is a sign warning about the potential hazard.

Slip and Fall Injuries

Injuries resulting from slips and falls are the most common accident-related injuries in addition to those from vehicle accidents that attorneys litigate. Just as you'll find common situations that cause these accidents, you'll also find typical injuries, which can range from minor to severe.

Soft Tissue Injuries

These injuries aren't outwardly visible, which can make them difficult to prove. What's more, victims may not even realize that they have an injury until weeks later. These injuries have a broad range from minor sprains to debilitating tears in ligaments and tendons. When left untreated, you may experience chronic pain and be vulnerable to additional injuries.

Head Injuries

Even minor head injuries can cause major problems. Minor concussions often clear up on their own, but those suffering concussions often don't realize they have them at first. More serious are traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that can sometimes severely impact your quality of life or even cause death. All head injuries, no matter how inconsequential they seem, require medical attention. Getting prompt medical attention with supporting documentation can also increase the possibility of a successful lawsuit.

Cuts and Abrasions

Cuts and abrasions from falls can look quite severe, but in reality, they are usually less extensive than other types. Most cases only need superficial treatments, sometimes stitches. The danger comes when cuts and abrasion lie atop more serious injuries.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Along with head injuries, these are usually the most serious. Spinal cord injuries occur when the spine is compressed or severed. When such a situation occurs, it requires immediate care as many spinal injuries can be life-threatening. They are also some of the most difficult injuries to treat, with therapy often required for years after the incident. Spinal injuries can produce quadriplegia, or complete paralysis, or paraplegia, which is paralysis of the lower limbs.

Broken Bones

These injuries can range from minor fractures to severe compound breaks that require numerous surgeries. Surrounding tissues may also be damaged and require long-term therapy. Broken bones can also cause extensive bleeding, which can make the break more difficult to treat.

Who Is Responsible for a Slip and Fall Accident?

In personal injury law, that is the big question. Proving liability makes a big difference in the success of your lawsuit. However, it is not as straightforward as you may think. There are no explicit rules about what kind of maintenance a property or business owner must maintain. This is why you need an experienced Santa Clarita slip and fall lawyer on your side to help prove the owner's negligence. To reach a fair settlement, you will need to prove that the property or business owner was negligent and that such negligence played a significant role in causing your injuries. To do so, your lawyer will need to investigate the incident and do a complete assessment. Your lawyer will want to understand all of the details and events leading up to the accident.

Proving Negligence and Liability

Proving negligence is complicated. Defense lawyers usually attempt to prove that the property owner or manage did take reasonable care to make things safe. In most cases, the defense will also try to prove that you are responsible--or partially responsible--for the incident that caused your injury or are. To that end, your lawyer will need to prove that you are not liable for the incident. Your attorney will attempt to prove that you did not cause the incident yourself. In other words, your attorney will try to prove that you do not have partial fault for the accident. California is a pure comparative fault state, which means you can still recover damages even if you are partially at fault. As experienced lawyers, we know how to minimize your fault and maximize recovery by showing how the property or business owner failed to provide a safe environment. Even if there were signs warning about the dangers involved, you might still be able to receive compensation for your injuries.

What to Expect in a Legal Consultation

To prove your case, our attorneys will need to understand as much as possible about the incident. We will ask you questions like the following in our initial consultations:

Did your foot miss a step on some stairs?
What kind of shoes were you wearing?
Were you carrying anything?
If you were on stairs, were you looking at something while descending?
Did you slip on some kind of substance?
If you fell on stairs, were the stairs broken or defective? Were there handrails?
Did you trip over something in your possession?
Did you trip over an object someone else left there?
Did you reach for something that caused you to lose your balance
Were you distracted by a cell phone or something else?
If you were on steps, were the risers of varying heights or the same?
Was there carpet? Were there bumps, or did the carpet curl up?

These are typical questions that an experienced lawyer will ask you to assess the scene and all the possibilities regarding why and how you fell. Our attorneys will also review all applicable federal laws, including those for Santa Clarita and California, to determine if the owners or operators of the property violated any applicable statute or regulation. At Injured 611, we will also make sure to consult and retain any necessary experts to augment the possibilities of receiving compensation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Slip and Fall Lawsuit in California?

The California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 indicates that you have two years from the date of the incident to bring a lawsuit against a negligent owner. However, you do not want to delay in filing the action, especially if you were severely injured in the accident. If a government employee is responsible for your accident, you will have to follow a special set of rules that require you to file notice of your claim within six months, per the California Tort Claims Act.

Trust the Experienced Legal Professionals at Injured 611

Personal liability cases involving falls require specialized knowledge of the regulations and legal mandates that apply to public and private properties and to your rights as a victim. The lawyers at Injured 611 have many years of experience in litigating these types of personal injury cases. We constantly strive to get the highest possible settlement or jury verdict for you. You never pay a penny to us unless we win your case. If you or a loved one has been a victim of a fall that resulted in injury, contact us today at (661) 917-2224 to schedule your no-risk consultation. Call us now to get started on making your claim before it’s too late.

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If you've injured due to another's negligence, reaching out to a personal injury attorney in a timely manner is one of the best things you can do for the best chance of being awarded financial compensation. Contact our team today for free legal help. There are no fees unless we win your case!

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