Did you recently sustain injuries after slipping and falling on public or private property? Let a Santa Rosa slip and fall lawyer from Omega Law Group Injury & Accident Attorneys help you seek justice.
Our team understands that slip and fall victims often experience major bruising, broken bones, head trauma, and spinal cord damage, among other types of injuries. If you want to pursue financial compensation for your injuries, reach out to Omega Law Group Injury & Accident Attorneys.
As your Santa Rosa personal injury lawyer, we can help identify the negligent party who is responsible for your injuries and pursue a claim on your behalf. With decades of experience recovering millions in compensation, you can trust us to advocate for you and your rights.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents often occur due to hazardous conditions that property owners fail to address. Common causes are as follows:
- Spills, leaks, or recently mopped floors without warning signs
- Cracked sidewalks, potholes, or damaged flooring
- Unsecured rugs or torn carpeting
- Dimly lit hallways, stairwells, or parking lots
- Obstructions such as boxes, cords, or debris.
- Missing or broken railings on staircases and ramps
- Unmaintained sidewalks during bad weather conditions
If your fall was caused by one of these hazards, a slip and fall lawyer in Santa Rosa can evaluate your case. They can determine if you have grounds for a claim. From there, they can explain your legal options and help you achieve favorable results in your case.
Common Injuries in Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents can lead to serious injuries, especially for older adults and individuals with pre-existing conditions. Some examples of common injuries are as follows:
- Wrists, ankles, hips, and ribs are particularly vulnerable
- Head trauma resulting in concussions or long-term cognitive issues
- Herniated discs, nerve damage, or paralysis
- Torn ligaments, sprains, and muscle strains
- Lacerations from sharp objects or rough surfaces
Who is Liable for a Slip and Fall Accident?
Under California premises liability law, property owners have a legal duty to maintain safe conditions for visitors. If they fail to address hazardous conditions and someone gets injured, they may be held liable for damages.
To prove liability in a slip and fall case, your lawyer must establish:
- Duty of care: The property owner had a duty of care. In other words, the owner had a responsibility to keep the premises safe.
- Breach of duty: Negligence occurred because the owner knew—or should have known—about the hazard but failed to fix it in a timely manner.
- Causation: The property owner’s negligence directly caused your injuries. This means the unsafe condition directly led to your fall and the injuries that followed.
- Damages: You incurred medical expenses, lost wages, or other losses due to the accident.
Compensation Available in a Slip and Fall Lawsuit
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident at the hands of property owner negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for economic or non-economic damages. In some cases, punitive damages might be considered as well.
Economic Damages
This category of recoverable damages refers to the financial losses that you experienced as a result of your slip and fall injuries:
- Medical bills
- Hospital visits
- Surgeries
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Future medical costs
- Long-term rehabilitation
- Ongoing treatment
Non-Economic Damages
Unlike the tangible nature of economic damages, non-economic damages center around the emotional and physical suffering that you endured.
Compensation for pain and suffering aims to cover the physical discomfort and emotional distress that you endured due to the accident. It can also help those who have endured a loss of quality of life, meaning the injuries resulted in a permanent disability or chronic pain.
Emotional distress is also accounted for via non-economic damages. This often takes the form of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the accident. Meanwhile, in cases of gross negligence, you may also be awarded punitive damages as well.
California’s Statute of Limitations for Slip and Fall Cases
Under California law, you have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. This 24-month statute of limitations starts on the day you sustained your injuries. However, this timeline could be shortened or extended based on the circumstances of your situation.
To know the exact timeline that applies to your case, reach out to a Santa Rosa slip and fall attorney for legal advice. Also, if you miss this deadline, you could end up losing your right to seek compensation in the first place, so it’s important to act sooner rather than later.
Have you been involved
in an accident?
(310) 526-8383
Call a Santa Rosa Slip and Fall Law Firm for Legal Advice Today
If you were injured after slipping and falling, you may be facing unexpected medical expenses. Meanwhile, you’re likely trying to figure out how to make up for lost income while grappling with ongoing pain and discomfort.
However, it’s important to remember that property owners and businesses have a legal duty to maintain safe premises, and when they fail to do so, they should be held accountable for the harm they caused. At Omega Law Group Injury & Accident Attorneys, we’re here to advocate for your rights.
If negligence played a role in your fall, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses. Reach out to our firm to learn more about our attorneys, understand how we can help you, and discuss your legal options.
