If you have injuries from a slip and fall accident anywhere in the Panama City area, you may be entitled to significant compensation from the property owner’s negligence. Slip and fall accidents often result in debilitating injuries that require intensive medical treatment, including surgeries, rehabilitation, and assistive devices.
Some injuries caused by slip and fall accidents are so severe that it’s impossible for you to return to the live you had before the accident. If you have a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury, you may require lifelong medical care.
Medical bills add up quickly and you’re not able to work (and may never be able to work again) to pay them. In addition to financial stress, you have emotional, mental, and physical stress from the accident and how it’s changed your life.
A Panama City slip and fall accident lawyer at The Bruner Law Firm knows the devastating effects a slip and fall accident has. We have almost 30 years of experience taking excellent legal care of the citizens in the Panama City area when they have suffered a personal injury caused by someone else’s negligence.
Call us today at (850) 769-9292 for a free consultation about your slip and fall injury.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents are more common than you might think. Although slips and falls are preventable, in 2017, falls that were fatal accounted for 21% of preventable injuries in the United States, while nonfatal falls led preventable injuries at 31% of the total.
Slip and fall accidents are categorized into four general groups:
- Trip-and-falls – The fall happens because there is something blocking a walking path that should be clear. Examples are boxes in the middle of a store aisle or a merchant’s portable sign in the middle of a sidewalk.
- Step-and-falls – The fall happens because of a hole or structure failure in a walking path. Examples are missing utility covers or missing concrete, bricks, or stones on a walkway.
- Stump-and-falls – The fall happens when there is an unexpected obstruction in a walkway. Examples are power cords or computer cables spanning across a walking path.
- Slip-and-falls – The fall happens when you have no warning that your feet have no traction because the walking surface is slippery. Examples of this are wet or greasy floors.
Where and Why Do Slip and Fall Accidents Happen?
While slip and fall accidents can and do occur on private property and government-controlled property, they primarily occur on commercial property. Slip and fall accidents happen on commercial property because of:
- Poor weather-related parking lot and walkway maintenance – Icy and snowy walking surfaces are not maintained or treated properly to keep them clear and to prevent them from being slippery.
- Poor or missing lighting – Lighting in stairwells and walking areas is either to dim to see clearly in the dark, or there is no lighting at all.
- Poorly-maintained walkways into the business – Sidewalks, driveways, and other pathways to the business have potholes or deep cracks that make them uneven.
- Obstructed walkways – Clutter or debris make walkways unsafe to move easily through.
- Poorly-maintained stairways – Stairways are missing railings or have broken railings, and steps are not slip-resistant.
- Unmarked danger areas – Slippery floors don’t have caution signs, and uneven walking surfaces are not marked or closed off from foot traffic.
Slip and fall accidents legally fall under the category of premises liability.
What is Premises Liability?
Premise liability claims occur when property owners are negligent in ensuring the safety of others and injuries result from that negligence. All property owners are legally responsible for keeping their property safe for visitors.
Not only is this duty for commercial property owners, but it also extends to personal property owners, government entities, and educational institutions. When property owners or their designated representatives fail to carry out this duty, then they are responsible for any injuries that result because of that failure.
Property owner negligence is determined using several factors:
- How long did the unsafe condition exist? – If the hazardous condition suddenly occurred and the property owner didn’t have time to respond appropriately, then they will likely not be found negligent.
- Does the property owner have a history of allowing unsafe conditions to exist? – If a property owner knows about hazards, but they don’t take any action to address them in a reasonable amount of time, then they are negligent. Additionally, if a property owner doesn’t have a regular process to identify and fix hazards, then they are negligent.
- Did the property owner fail to take reasonable prevention measures to eliminate unsafe conditions? – If a dangerous condition could have been easily prevented (for instance, putting a caution sign up on a slippery floor or installing or fixing a handrail on a stairway) and a property owner failed to do so, then they are negligent.
Slip and Fall Accident Injuries
Slip and fall injuries can range from minor cuts and scrapes to severe or fatal injuries. Some of the most common slip and fall injuries are:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Dislocated joints
- Cuts and bruises
- Spinal cord injuries
- Sprains
- Soft tissue injuries
- Death
If you’ve had a slip and fall accident, get medical treatment as soon as possible after the accident. Some potentially severe injuries, such as internal bleeding or severe head trauma, may not have immediate symptoms. Getting fast medical treatment will help you physically and legally in your premises liability claim.
Do I Need an Attorney for My Panama City Slip and Fall Accident?
Florida premises liability law puts the responsibility of proof on a slip and fall accident victim instead of the property owner. This means that if you suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident, you must prove four things to win a claim for property owner negligence:
- The property owner owed a legal duty to you.
- The property owner breached the duty owed to you.
- There is a direct relationship between the property owner’s breach of duty and your injuries.
- Your injuries were caused by the property owner’s breach of duty.
You are recovering from your slip and fall accident injuries. You are losing income from time missed from work. You are in the hospital or are going to several medical appointments a week. You are stressed out trying to keep your head and your life above water.
While you may have a basic knowledge of the legal system, you know nothing about the ins and outs of premises liability claims. With everything else going on in your life, trying to undertake a premises liability case on your own, learning what you need to know, meeting all filing deadlines, and dealing with the property owner’s insurance company and attorney is impossible.
If you miss anything in the personal injury claim process, you stand to lose any chance of compensation for your slip and fall accident.
Hiring an experienced Panama City slip and fall accident attorney lets you focus solely on recovery. A knowledgeable and experienced lawyer can take care of all the details and fights for the compensation you deserve.
Why You Should Hire The Bruner Law Firm
The Bruner Law Firm has been representing Panama City area personal injury victims for almost three decades. We are committed to making sure that every citizen who needs personal injury legal representation has access to the best legal help available in the state of Florida.
Our results attest to the skill and knowledge we offer each of our clients as we fight to hold negligent people responsible for their actions by making sure the victims of that negligence are fairly compensated for the losses they suffer.
When you retain The Bruner Law Firm as your legal counsel, we will work diligently for the compensation you deserve. Not only will we seek compensation for your physical injuries and their costs, but we will also seek compensation for wages you’ve lost, enjoyment of life you’ve lost, and freedom from emotional trauma you’ve lost.
We believe in clear communication, compassionate support, and ethical transparency with our clients. We also believe that our clients’ interests always come first, and we work toward that throughout your case.
Contact The Bruner Law Firm to Handle Your Slip and Fall Accident
You are grappling with physical, financial, and emotional challenges from your slip and fall accident injuries. You’re investing your time, effort, and energy into your recovery and the changes you’re facing because of the accident.
Our Panama City injury lawyers understand that your focus is where it needs to be right now. But you need someone who is qualified representing your legal interests as well. We can help. We have the experience and the know-how to work toward a successful outcome for you.
Call us today at (850) 769-9292 or contact us online to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation about your slip and fall accident.
