Slip and fall accidents can cause serious injuries or death, not to mention the expensive treatments necessary to recuperate. Therefore, if you or someone you love was injured in an accident because of a negligent property owner, consult with a Boynton Beach slip and fall lawyer.
Were You Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident in Boynton Beach?
Typically, a hazardous environment causes a slip and fall accident. Conditions ripe for accidents may include:
- Iced walkways
- Wet floors
- Defective handrails
- Missing signage to take caution
- Poor lighting
Through no fault of your own, these dangerous conditions can cause you to get injured after falling. Not only can this type of accident be detrimental to your physical health, but it can also take a toll on your emotional and financial wellbeing.
Our reliable team at Shiner Law Group can help with your slip and fall case. We can discuss the strength of your case and assist with preparing you for what to expect.
Defining a Boynton Beach Slip and Fall Accident
One challenge with accidents that involve a person slipping or falling is being able to prove the property owner was negligent. You must hire an experienced slip and fall attorney who will work to establish your accident was a result of a hazardous environment on the property.
A slip and fall accident may occur at a number of locations. However, the most common locations are residential, commercial and governmental.
Residential Property Owner
If you are a tenant or visitor who suffers injuries in an accident on residential property, the owner or landlord may have to recompense you for your injuries. One of the three points below must be established to determine whether an owner or landlord will have to compensate you:
- The owner or landlord could have fixed the hazardous condition.
- The owner or landlord knew or should have known about the presence of a hazardous condition.
- Knowing that an accident might occur if the hazardous condition was not fixed was a foreseen situation.
Commercial Property Owner
Similarly, proving that a business owner, property owner or employee was responsible for your slip and fall accident requires one of the following points to be met:
- The business owner, property owner or employee knew about the dangerous conditions but did not correct the issue.
- The business owner, property owner or employee created the dangerous conditions.
- The business owner, property owner or employee should have known of the dangerous conditions and fixed them.
Governmental Property
Slip and fall accidents are not immune to government-owned property. Accidents of this nature create an entirely different set of issues from a residential or commercial property accident.
For example, how to file an accident claim and statutory laws are not the same as private property claims.
Common Scenarios That Introduce Hazardous Conditions
Almost any type of setting is ripe for a serious fall when multiple hazardous conditions are present. Some of these settings include:
- Cluttered floors
- Cracks in the pavement
- Damaged steps
- Defective sidewalks
- Loose floorboards
- Missing or loosened stairwell railings
- Poor lighting
- Potholes
- Wet or uneven floors
If a residential or commercial property owner is negligent for your slip and fall accident, you are eligible to receive compensation for the injuries and losses you sustained. Call a Boynton Beach slip and fall attorney today to discuss all of your legal options.
Boyton Beach Slip and Fall Statute of Limitations
The laws regarding slip and fall injuries in Boynton Beach are continually evolving. What may apply to your situation today may not be the same in six months. This is a good reason why you need solid representation by an experienced slip and fall attorney in Boynton Beach.
Considerable changes could create more legal and factual challenges to proving liability against any type of business including a restaurant, big box store, grocery chain or retail store.
Navigating these laws can be difficult if your fall happened because of clear liquid on the floor. Another example is if you were looking at a product on the shelf and did not see a substance on the floor.
Nevertheless, any injuries you sustain after slipping or falling in a Boynton Beach business is subject to the law of negligence. The four elements of legal proof you will need to prove a business owner or property owner negligence include:
- The owner owed you a duty of care
- That duty was violated by the owner
- You experienced harm as a result of that violation
- The breach in duty of care was the actual and proximate cause of your accident
Common Injuries from Boynton Beach Slip and Fall Accidents
Even if you or a loved one experiences a relatively innocent-looking fall, the injuries could become serious or fatal. Furthermore, falling from a tall height onto a hard surface or sharp object increases the likelihood of catastrophic injuries.
Some of the common injuries after a slip and fall accident includes:
- Broken bones
- Contusions
- Internal bleeding
- Paralysis
- Spinal cord injury
- Torn ligaments
- Traumatic brain injury
- Wrongful death
While this is not an exhaustive list, many of the injuries on this list are life-changing. The long-term consequences you or a loved one suffers can negate your ability to work or have a good life.
Documenting the scene as soon as possible and as carefully as possible after your accident is crucial to preserving evidence that can help to prove your case. Your next step should be to seek a free consultation with a law firm dedicated to getting you the compensation you deserve.
While you or a loved one focuses on recovering from slip and fall injuries, your Boynton Beach lawyer focuses on winning your case.
What To Do After A Boynton Beach Slip and Fall Accident
Your first reaction after a slip and fall is probably to get up and keep walking. However, if your fall occurred on someone else’s property, you may want to explore your legal options even if you do not feel immediate pain.
This especially holds true when it is clear that the negligence of the business owner or property owner was a direct result of your fall.
Ultimately, you are the one to make the decision whether to file a slip and fall claim with the insurance company or in court. Regardless of your decision, Florida laws and statutes of limitation can impact how you seek and receive compensation.
How A Boynton Beach Slip and Fall Attorney Can Help
Severe injury or death may occur after a slip and fall accident. Therefore, you should promptly contact a slip and fall attorney to discuss the specifics of your claim.
Property owners are legally obligated to provide a safe environment. At a minimum, you should expect a fair warning about potentially dangerous or actual dangerous spaces. Litigating a slip and fall claim involves identifying all responsible parties.
Having Boynton Beach lawyers on your side means a team of experienced lawyers will work diligently to identify all parties that are potentially liable for your injuries. Failing to identify these parties and sources of insurance could result in a lesser amount of damages.
Because the Shiner Law Group has successfully handled slip and fall cases for over 15 years, our attorneys can assist you with determining all financially responsible parties. We will ensure all responsible parties are joined in your civil lawsuit.
Filing A Slip and Fall Accident Claim in Boynton Beach
Although you are the one injured, you are responsible for proving who the negligent party is in a slip and fall case. Essentially, proving your case requires three things:
- Liability
- Causation
- Damages
Boynton Beach slip and fall law requires showing that the owner of the property knew or should have known about the dangerous condition that caused your injury. The law also details different ways for you to show whether the owner knew or should have known there was a hazardous condition on their property.
First, you could show that the hazardous condition existed long enough for the owner to find it. Second, showing that the hazardous condition occurred more than once shows the property owner should have been aware of the danger.
Third, your case should show that the owner was fully aware of the hazardous condition and had a reasonable amount of time to fix it.
To show either one of these situations, you need evidence that does not disappear before you have a chance to preserve it. Surveillance recordings are not a given unless the potentially liable party knows that you will file a lawsuit. They will have to preserve the evidence in this situation.
This means time is on your side to act quickly and notify the property owner of your intentions. You do not want to give them time to lose or destroy evidence that could play a pivotal role in your case.
Letting A Boynton Beach Slip and Fall Lawyer Represent You
Hiring a Boynton Beach slip and fall attorney for your case means having someone who will work to prove the property owner knew about the hazardous condition that led to your accident.
Your attorney will work to prove that not only was the property owner aware of the dangerous conditions, but they should have known that an accident was plausible under those conditions.
This heavy burden of proof becomes lighter when you have experienced attorneys representing you. Evidence used to piece together a case can include:
- Maintenance records
- Surveillance videos
- Medical records
- Witness statements
- Emergency responders statements
Knowledge and experience from an attorney who knows how to apply Florida law to the unique peculiarities of every case are what you need.
Damages in a Slip and Fall Case in Boynton Beach
If a slip and fall accident causes you to suffer harm or lose a loved one to death, you are potentially eligible to receive economic and non-economic damages. Proving a careless property or business owner caused the conditions that led to the fall is key.
Also, the amount of compensatory damages that you may receive depends on the severity of your or a loved one’s injuries.
Potential damages that a slip and fall lawyer can help you receive include:
- Payment for medical expenses, including doctor’s visits, hospital stay, surgery, rehabilitation and prescription drugs
- Loss of current and future wages
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages when your case proves willful negligence or malicious intent
Statute of Limitations for Boynton Beach Slip and Fall Accident Claims
The statute of limitation for slip and fall accidents in the state of Florida is two years. While this may seem like a lot of time for the legal process, you should still take immediate action to get the most compensation for your injuries.
Delaying pursuit of a case or delaying medical treatment could hurt your chances of a successful case. In addition to taking urgent action for a medical diagnosis and treatment, preserving evidence is also something that you should not ignore.
A Boynton Beach slip and fall lawyer can conduct a proper investigation that includes interviewing witnesses and collecting all evidence that will be useful for your specific case.
Schedule a consultation as soon as possible for an evaluation to determine how long resolving your claim may take and how much compensation it is worth. Your lawyer will send preservation of evidence letters to the property owner and insurance companies.
How A Boynton Beach Slip and Fall Lawyer Can Help
If you or a loved one was involved in a slip and fall accident, you may have suffered a ton of injuries. The accident might mean you are not able to work.
Lost wages can lead to emotional anguish over unpaid bills. While you worry about maintaining your household, you are also dealing with getting the medical care you need. Even if you show no immediate signs of being hurt, some injuries may appear once your adrenaline slows down.
In either case, you should speak with an experienced attorney at Shiner Law Group. We have more than 15 years of experience and understanding of the laws related to slip and fall accidents in Boynton Beach.
Do not wait and hope that your injuries heal themselves. Waiting and hoping that the property owner or insurance company will do the right thing could mean not getting the money you deserve. Contact the Shiner Law Group today and take action to preserve your rights.
