You may not expect that slip and fall accidents are a leading cause of non-fatal injuries that require medical treatment. In reality, over 8 million people are admitted to hospital emergency rooms every year to treat slip, trip, and fall injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Here in Detroit, slipping and falling is quite common, especially given the snow and ice we navigate every winter. These accidents can also happen anywhere, such as your home, workplace, restaurants, and shopping centers, among other places.
Sustaining an injury is hard enough, but it’s especially frustrating when the injury results from the negligence of another party. If you suffered injuries through no fault of your own, you may wish to seek compensation to cover your medical treatment and other damages. We recommend contacting our Detroit slip and fall accident attorneys at Michigan Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation now.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
The firm of Michigan Injury Lawyers has successful experience arguing slip and fall claims, which fall under the umbrella of premises liability cases.
Here are a few examples of the most typical ways that people slip, trip, and fall and sustain an injury:
- Ice and snow: If you live in Detroit, you know how easy it is to slip on ice and snow. This includes slipping on black ice at school, home, apartment complexes, businesses, hotels, and so on.
- Defective sidewalks: Broken, raised, or uneven sidewalks are an invitation for disaster.
- Water, grease, chemicals, or other liquids: Any slippery substance found on floors at work, grocery stores, airports, and other places of business can cause a serious slip-and-fall incident.
- Defective staircases: Unstable staircases can stem from broken steps, deteriorated steps, broken handrails, or the absence of handrails on a staircase.
- Insufficient lighting: Poor lighting can prevent a person from seeing a dangerous condition in their path, leading to unnecessary injuries.
These are just a few of the countless ways people suffer injuries under preventable circumstances. If you feel your accident was preventable, consult with our skilled premises liability lawyers to get answers to your questions.
Injuries From Slip and Fall Accidents
Serious injuries often result from a bad fall. This is particularly true for older adults who cannot easily regain their balance before hitting the ground.
Some frequent fall injuries include the following:
- Broken bones, including arms, wrists, legs, ankles, feet, and other fractures
- Traumatic head and brain injuries
- Severe back injuries, often affecting the spinal cord and discs
- Knee injuries, which can result in a torn meniscus or ACL/MCL
- Shoulder injuries, such as a dislocation or torn rotator cuff
- Neck injuries
- Nerve damage
- Death, either caused directly or indirectly from the fall
Unfortunately, people can sustain a variety of injuries due to a fall that can result in substantial medical bills and lost income, not to mention mental and physical pain and suffering. We’ll work hard to make sure you receive compensation for your damages, so you can focus on getting your health and your life back.
What Does Michigan Law Say About Slip and Fall Incidents?
Michigan premises liability law requires businesses and property owners to ensure their premises are reasonably safe. If they fail to meet that standard, accident victims can hold businesses and individual owners financially liable for any injuries arising from unsafe conditions on the property.
For an injury victim to obtain compensatory damages, they must sufficiently prove the following:
- A faulty or hazardous condition existed at the location: The poor condition must cause both the fall and the injury the victim sustained.
- The property owner was aware of the dangerous condition or should have known about it. Complaints and other records can shed light on what the owner knew or didn’t know. Or if the condition existed for an extended period of time, it’s possible the owner reasonably should have been aware of the condition before the fall.
- Inadequate or lack of maintenance: The owner did not properly maintain their property, or they neglected to repair the condition.
- The injury victim was on the property legally. In other words, the injured party was not trespassing, and they were a customer, guest, employee, or otherwise entitled to be on the property.
Our skilled slip and fall accident attorneys are experts in knowing how to prove your case. We’ll gather and secure the evidence to build a strong case that we’ll argue against an insurance company or in court to make sure you get the financial compensation you need to recover.
Resolving Your Slip and Fall Case
The overwhelming majority of personal injury cases never make it to a courtroom. Rather, they are settled out of court through negotiations with the insurance company. Many times, our lawyers can obtain a favorable settlement offer directly from the insurance company, which avoids an injury lawsuit. It’s important to remember that if you are contacted by an insurance company, do not accept a settlement offer without having a lawyer review it. Remember, it’s the job of their lawyers to save as much money as possible, and offers can be shockingly low.
Insurance adjusters know many tactics to get you to say something they can use against you. If they do make an offer, you can bet it’s significantly less than they know your case is worth. Don’t go it alone. Get proper legal counsel in your corner who will negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to get you the compensation amount you deserve.
Hire a Detroit Slip and Fall Accident Attorney Immediately
You may have a lot of questions about your case and how you can proceed. We want to make sure you have all the information you need. Contact the Detroit slip and fall accident lawyers at Michigan Injury Lawyers now for a free case evaluation or phone us toll-free at (888) 454-0801. We’ll explain your options and show you how the process works. Best of all, we’ll handle all the negotiations so you can focus on recovering from your injury and getting your life back.