Were you recently injured in a slip and fall accident in Fort Myers, FL? Our experienced Fort Myers slip and fall lawyers at Shiner Law Group are ready to help fight for your legal rights and get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (239) 341-0741 to speak with an attorney for a 100% free consultation.
You may be entitled to seek compensation for medical bills, loss of income, pain, and suffering, and more. Contact our Fort Myers, FL law offices to discuss the legal options that might be available to you following your slip and fall accident. The next steps are very important. Let Shiner Law Group help you with your slip and fall accident case today.
Were You Injured In A Slip And Fall Accident In Fort Myers?
Slip and fall accidents happen often and everywhere. In most cases, people who fall to the ground are fine; they might only have bruises afterward. In other cases, minor injuries occur.
However, there are instances in which slip and fall incidents lead to major injuries.
Moreover, people who own businesses or other private property sometimes neglect to take the necessary precautions to prevent these accidents. Thus, those who are injured in such falls are entitled to compensation.
If you’ve suffered one of these falls, another party could be to blame. And the only way to receive the full compensation you deserve is to hire an outstanding Fort Myers slip and fall attorney.
Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Fort Myers, FL
Slip and fall accidents have numerous causes. Some of the most common include:
- Poor lighting
- Uneven flooring and carpeting
- Liquid spills
- Cracks or other flaws in sidewalks and walkways
- Floors that are wet or otherwise slippery
- Ice
When slip and falls are serious enough, they can result in sprains and broken bones. Even worse, when people fall on their heads, it can cause concussions, brain damage, vision impairments, memory loss, personality changes, and other grave problems.
Meanwhile, landing flat on the back can lead to spinal cord injuries and chronic pain.
Hands and wrists are especially vulnerable during slip and fall accidents. That’s because people often try to catch themselves as they go down. Consequently, they bear down on their hands and wrists, and they could break small bones in the process.
These injuries can be particularly devastating for senior citizens. A slip and fall, under certain circumstances, can even lead to death.
The compensation you’re entitled to depend on the severity of your injuries and their impact on your life. Let’s look at a few major compensation categories.
Lost Wages
After a slip and fall, you might be out of work for a long period. Even if you’re back on the job now, you might miss more work due to upcoming medical treatments.
Worst of all, if you have a permanent injury and your job involves certain physical tasks, perhaps you won’t ever be able to return to your position.
Medical Costs
Medical care can be extremely expensive. The cost of your ambulance ride alone could be astronomical if you need an ambulance. And your insurance policy may not cover the full costs of emergency room services, surgical operations, or physical therapy appointments.
It’s possible that if you were to pay those bills, it would wipe out your savings account or force you into debt.
Physical and Emotional Pain
After a serious accident, recurring pain is commonplace. It can have a powerfully negative impact on people’s lives.
Chronic pain can make simple chores much harder to accomplish. It can also prevent people from participating in their favorite Florida pastimes: golfing, tennis, boating, etc.
After a slip and fall, the emotional pain — depression, and anxiety in particular — can be acute and lasting. This distress often interferes with people’s family, social, and romantic lives. It can make a good night’s sleep virtually impossible, and it can dramatically reduce someone’s appetite. Yes, emotional pain frequently takes a physical toll.
If you’re experiencing lingering pain, emotional distress, or both, you could qualify for significant compensation. An exceptional Fort Myers slip and fall lawyer can maximize that amount.
Laws Regarding Fort Myers Slip and Fall Accidents
Landlords and business owners are required to know, understand, and follow a wide range of federal laws, state laws, and municipal regulations. Many of those rules concern the safety of employees and customers, and a number of them specifically intend to prevent falls.
For example, walkways must have proper lighting. Pathways must be even, in good shape, and free of obstructions. If construction projects are going on or floors are slippery after they’ve been cleaned, appropriate warning signs must be posted.
Indeed, these laws are often extremely detailed. They instruct business owners precisely how to inspect, light, and clean their property — their floors and walking paths.
Even homeowners are required to keep their homes safe to protect their visitors.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall in Fort Myers
Of course, as soon as you slip, fall, and hit the ground, staying focused on your actions can be hard. You might be in great pain, and your mind might be racing. You might be wondering about the extent of your injuries. And some people feel humiliated after falling in public.
Even so, it can help greatly to remember a few key points. For one, do not admit any fault to anyone. For example, don’t say something like the following: “I wasn’t looking where I was going!” or “I’ve been falling a lot lately!”
Instead, say as little as possible to those at the scene after a fall and seek medical assistance immediately. You’ll also have to complete an accident report as soon as possible.
Even if you weren’t watching where you were stepping, the property owner could still be responsible for your accident.
If possible, take pictures of the scene. In particular, try to snap clear photos of anything that may have caused your accident: a wet spot, an icy patch, an object that caused you to trip, a lack of warning signs, and so forth. You might ask someone to take photos if you’re with someone else.
On top of that, collecting the contact information of the people who witnessed your slip and fall can be valuable. Again, a companion could do so if you cannot.
Another crucial piece of advice is to avoid speaking to the property owner, the owner’s attorney, or any owner’s insurance company representatives. Further, do not under any circumstances respond to a settlement offer.
It’s very possible that the property owner’s insurance company will offer you a settlement right away. Insurance companies know that accident survivors often need money immediately, and victims frequently wish to put the whole matter behind them as soon as possible.
However, that initial settlement offer will almost certainly be less than the full amount you’re entitled to. Most likely, it’ll be much, much less.
Not to mention, in accepting that fall accident settlement, you’ll be waiving your right to collect more money from the insurance company in the future. That’s true even if an unforeseen complication suddenly causes your medical bills to skyrocket.
With that in mind, it’s vital to hire a qualified Fort Myers slip and fall attorney as soon as possible. That lawyer could then get started on your case right away. In such matters, time is so often of the essence.
How A Fort Myers Slip and Fall Attorney Can Help
Keep in mind that the owners of the property where you fell could have outstanding attorneys on their side. And those lawyers will be ready with every possible trick to help their clients evade responsibility.
Even if you believe you have an open-and-shut case, the reality could be much more complicated than you realize. Proving liability beyond doubt requires skill and a deep, intricate understanding of the law.
Fortunately, in terms of proving liability, we at Shiner Law Group have a long record of success.
We’ll obtain and carefully analyze your accident report, your medical reports, and any photos you have. We’ll document all of your injuries and compile a list of your accident-related expenditures and losses.
Plus, if there’s any video footage of your fall — a security video, for example, or the cell phone video of someone passing by — we’ll scrutinize it.
We’ll also take down your full account of the accident and the recollections of anyone with you at the time.
Equally important, we’ll interview employees and witnesses at the scene. When it comes to questioning people, we’re highly effective. And we conduct our interviews as promptly as possible. That’s because human memories tend to fade or get distorted quickly.
In short, we’ll fully reconstruct your slip and fall. We’ll inspect the scene of the accident in a thorough manner, and we’ll collect all relevant pieces of evidence.
Likewise, we’ll take care of all your legal paperwork, forms that can be extensive and extremely complicated.
We can pinpoint how the property owners could have prevented your fall by taking all these steps. We might even be able to ascertain if they knew they violated safety regulations before you fell.
Your legal outcomes will be our top priority if you come to us. We’ll listen to you carefully and answer your questions completely. We’ll explain all of the options you have. As we put your case together, we’ll inform you at every step. And we’ll keep everything you tell us confidential.
Speak With a Fort Myers Slip and Fall Lawyer Near Me Today
We have a team of experts who assist us with our work. They include assistants, researchers, and paralegals, and their skills are unsurpassed in the region.
With all that information, we’ll develop effective strategies for you. Then we’ll negotiate fearlessly to earn you the most compensation possible.
Furthermore, we’ll be fully prepared to argue your case inside a courtroom if need be.
In short, we care about all of our clients. As such, we’re committed to helping them in every way possible. And we’re always honest, respectful, and forthright.
Knowing that you have a talented and dedicated Fort Myers slip and fall lawyer fighting for you can bring peace of mind. As a result, while you’re recuperating, you can focus on the most important matters: feeling better and rebuilding your life.
Therefore, if you’ve recently suffered a slip and fall accident, speak with a slip and fall lawyer at Shiner Law Group at any time by calling (239) 341-0741 of filling out a free online case evaluation.
