Slip and fall accidents and other injuries caused by premises liability issues can cause serious injuries, leaving victims stuck with significant medical expenses and losing income while they heal. If you find yourself in this situation, you can file a civil claim to recover financial compensation to reimburse you. Generally speaking, businesses and other property owners are responsible for keeping their premises safe for customers, employees, and other visitors. If you believe you were injured because an owner negligently failed to keep their premises safe, the West Palm Beach personal injury attorneys at GOLDLAW can help.
Why Choose GOLDLAW for Help With Your Claim?
After sustaining a slip and fall injury caused by the actions of another party, you need to turn to a legal team with extensive experience handling these claims. GOLDLAW is ready to step in and help.
- Our team has a track record of success securing major settlements and jury verdicts on behalf of injury victims throughout Florida.
- We remain in constant communication with our clients while their case is ongoing, so you will never be left with any questions or concerns related to your situation.
- Our team specializes in handling personal injury and premises liability claims, so we are well-positioned to help you recover compensation for your losses.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries in West Palm Beach
Slip and fall injuries can occur in a wide variety of ways in and around the West Palm Beach area. We have handled a significant number of these cases, and our team often finds that slip and fall injuries are caused by the following:
- Spills of drink or food that have not been cleaned up promptly
- A lack of warning signs about wet or unsafe floors
- Inadequate lighting in pedestrian walkway areas
- Condensation from appliances, leading to wet floors
- Obstacles such as electrical cords left in pedestrian pathways
- Loose flooring materials or gravel that becomes a slipping hazard
- No handrails on stairways or ramps
This is certainly not an exhaustive list of the causes of slip and fall injuries in and around West Palm Beach. If you have any questions about your particular claim and whether or not a personal injury lawsuit applies, we encourage you to reach out to a member of our team for a completely free consultation today.
Determining Liability for a Slip and Fall Claim
Determining liability after a slip and fall claim can be challenging and primarily revolves around obtaining as much evidence as possible. Some of the evidence used for a slip and fall claim can be gathered at the scene of the incident. It is not uncommon for individuals to use their phones or other types of recording devices to take photographs and video surveillance of the entire slip and fall area. This can include photographs and surveillance footage of injuries, causes of the fall, the surrounding area, weather conditions, and more.
Statements from eyewitnesses to the slip and fall incident can also prove to be invaluable, particularly if the names and contact information of the eyewitnesses get written down before these individuals have a chance to leave the scene.
In the days and weeks that follow a slip and fall incident, an attorney may work together additional types of evidence. This can include medical records showing the types of injuries that occurred, property owner training and safety manuals, additional surveillance footage from nearby cameras, and records of previous injuries that occurred on the property.
How Much Compensation is Available for These Claims?
There is no set amount of compensation paid to a slip and fall victim if their claim is successful. There are several factors that can influence the compensation amounts, including the severity of the injuries, how long it takes an individual to recover, whether or not there was any shared fault for the incident, and other factors. At GOLDLAW, our goal is to recover both economic and non-economic damages on behalf of slip and fall victims in West Palm Beach.
Economic damages revolve around various calculable expenses slip and fall victims will likely incur as a result of the incident. These expenses can be calculated by gathering receipts, invoices, estimates, and bills that come in in the days, weeks, and months that follow the incident. Some of the most common economic damages associated with these injuries include:
- Emergency medical bills
- All ongoing medical expenses
- Lost wages if a victim cannot work
- Various household out-of-pocket expenses
- Property damage expenses
Non-economic damages are not as easily calculable as the economic expenses just mentioned. These types of losses revolve around more immeasurable damages, including the physical pain and suffering a person endures along with their emotional and psychological trauma. Non-economic damages also seek to compensate individuals for their loss of enjoyment of life caused by the injuries and any disability.
How Florida’s Modified Comparative Fault Rule Affects Your Slip and Fall Claim
The pure comparative fault rule in Florida governs how damages are apportioned in personal injury cases. Under this rule, a plaintiff can recover damages even if they are partially – or almost entirely – at fault. Your monetary award will be reduced by the percentage that you are deemed responsible.
For example, let’s say you are at the mall, and you slip on something that was spilled on the floor and never cleaned up. You were also texting while you were walking, so you weren’t paying as close attention as you could have been. Ultimately, the mall is found to be primarily at fault because the floor should have been cleaned long before you arrived. You are deemed to be 40 percent at fault. If you were awarded $100,000, you would be able to recover 60 percent of it, or $60,000.
Contact a West Palm Beach Slip and Fall Lawyer Today
If you or somebody you love has been injured in a slip and fall accident caused by the negligence of a property owner in the West Palm Beach area, our team is ready to step in and help. GOLDLAW has the resources and experience necessary to handle every aspect of your claim, and we want to get to work helping you today. When you need a West Palm Beach slip and fall attorney, please reach out for a free consultation today.