A slip and fall accident can happen in seconds but potentially result in lifelong injuries. If an injury has put your or a love one’s life on hold, you can seek your legal options in Illinois. There’s a chance that someone’s negligence in maintaining the safety of their property caused your accident. While filing a claim can be complex, you can have a dependable Peru slip and fall lawyer from Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP at your side.
When you have trusted representation, you’ll know we’re doing everything possible to protect your rights. Our lawyers have years of experience in helping slip and fall accident victims. This area of personal injury is included in premises liability. When you’re legally allowed to be on someone else’s property, then the owner or person in charge of the premises needs to take measures to keep it safe for you and others. This includes fixing known problems on the property and warning people about potential dangers. However, when they don’t prioritize safety, the people on the property are at risk of getting hurt.
We won’t let anyone undermine the severity of your injuries in an effort to minimize your claim. Our lawyers will assess how much the accident has cost you and fight to get a settlement that will help you cover those losses.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
You’ll need to know the cause of your accident for your claim. Your attorney will review your case and examine all of the existing evidence that could indicate what happened to you. Some common causes of slip and falls that we’ve seen include:
- Spills. Whether it’s from a drink or a leaky pipe, spilled liquids can pool on the floor and create dangerous slipping hazards. If they’re not dealt with in a timely fashion, anyone could unknowingly walk through it and get hurt.
- Unnatural accumulation of snow and ice. Ignoring ice and snow that comes out of faulty gutters or that is caused by haphazard snow removal could result in a fall on a hard surface, like a parking lot or sidewalk.
- Loose or torn carpet. Carpets should be anchored to the ground so they don’t slide when someone walks on it. Additionally, holes in carpets create tripping hazards.
- Parking lots can be dangerous places if the surface isn’t kept even. Potholes are major tripping hazards.
If a different reason caused your accident, you should still speak with our Peru lawyers about what happened to you. We understand that everyone’s case will have unique circumstances and that shouldn’t stop you from getting the justice you deserve.
No matter how your accident happened, your injuries will require treatment and time to heal. Let’s take a look at the injuries a slip and fall accidents can cause.
Slip and Fall Injuries Can Be Severe
Slip and fall injuries can range from minor to catastrophic. Senior citizens are more at risk of suffering life-threatening injuries. An elderly person could potentially fracture their hip or hurt their head. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 300,000 senior citizens with hip fractures need to be hospitalized each year.
However, anyone can suffer from serious injuries in a fall accident. Common injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Cuts and bruises
- Sprains
A main issue with a fall accident is when people try to catch themselves before they hit the ground. It’s a natural reaction, but can have terrible consequences. If someone tries to brace themselves with their arm, then their arm will take the brunt of the impact. Soft tissue injuries like sprains can cause chronic pain and take time to heal.
Getting an unfavorable resolution can cause financial stress. There are steps you can take to make sure you’re doing everything you can to protect your rights to full and fair compensation.
What Should You Do After a Slip and Fall?
It’s common to be a bit shocked after a slip and fall accident because they can happen so unexpectedly. However, it’s important to take care of a few items after an accident that will help your claim in the future.
- Report the accident. Make a written report of the accident and inform whoever is in charge of the premises, like a supervisor or manager. Write down what happened and be as detailed as you can.
- Get a medical evaluation. You need to see a doctor who can assess your injuries and start treating them. Your lawyer will be able to use copies of your medical records to assist with your claim.
- Keep records of injury. Take photographs of your injury and consider keeping a journal detailing the pain and how the injuries are affecting your life. This could be from missing work to preventing you from participating in activities you used to enjoy.
- Contact a lawyer. Get in touch with a lawyer as soon as possible. They’ll be able to discuss your legal options with you as well as deal with insurance companies. Adjusters may attempt to get an official statement from you which could be used against you at a later date. With a slip and fall attorney at your side, you won’t have to speak with the insurance company which could put your claim at risk.
When you have a lawyer representing you, you’ll know that they’re not going to let you take less compensation than you deserve. It may be daunting to think about going through the claims process, but we’ll be there for you every step of the way.
Seek Representation Today
You deserve peace of mind while you recover from your injuries. Get in touch with our firm today and schedule a free no-obligation consultation. The sooner you call, the quicker we can conduct our investigation of your case. This could include recovering crucial physical evidence that will help your claim. With the help of our personal injury lawyers, you can get your life back on track.
