In Florida and across the country, the property owner is responsible for ensuring that their facility is safe for visitors. Each state has its own list of the most common causes of accidents, including slip and fall injuries. Although many of them are the same, Florida is unsusceptible from some of the other states’ problems, such as snow and icy conditions. Because of the pleasant weather, many people prefer to spend their time outside.
Every day, people slip and fall. Sometimes the accident is small, and they just get back up and continue with their lives. A slip and fall might result in significant, long-term injuries in other cases. However, just because you are wounded in a slip and fall accident does not immediately imply that you have a personal injury case. Suppose you want to sue for damages after a slip and fall event. In that case, you must evaluate several criteria, or it is wise to consult a professional Florida slip and fall lawyer.
An Overview of Slip and Fall Accident Causes
Most slip and fall accidents are caused by a damp, slippery, or dangerous floor. Poor weather, such as rain over the state and the resultant wet surfaces, can be a factor. Other possible causes include drink spills of other liquids and maintenance. Uneven surfaces may include damaged sidewalks or steps that are not adequately marked.
If you are unfamiliar with the basic impediments in the area, you can easily trip on a property. Accidents may occur due to cords or wires in your way, stumbling on debris in a poorly lighted area, poor stair maintenance, or boxes obstructing an aisle. Slip and fall accidents can also occur on boat decks, poolsides, sidewalks, unpaved paths, roadway curbs, construction zones, and other hazards. Following a slip and fall event, you should notify the property manager and document the circumstances of what occurred. You will need this information if you decide to pursue a lawsuit later.
Slip and Fall Accident Lawsuits in Florida: A Synopsis
If you are hurt in a slip and fall accident in Florida, you must understand your recovery choices. If you decide to file a personal injury claim, you may be subject to some laws. Because Florida is one of the few states with detailed slip and fall statutes, potential complainants should consult with an experienced Florida slip and fall lawyer to help them navigate their litigation.
In Florida, potential plaintiffs who bring a slip and fall claim must demonstrate that the business failed to fix the unsafe condition that caused their injuries. The victim must demonstrate that the business had actual or constructive notice of the hazardous conditions that caused the slip and fall. Also, the victim has to prove that owner is well-aware of the condition but ignored it. Potential plaintiffs in slip and fall cases must additionally prove several other requirements. Anyone with issues about a recent fall should contact a Florida slip and fall lawyer.
Statistics on Slip and Fall Injuries
Falls are the primary cause of emergency room visits in the United States, accounting for 21.3 per cent of all occurrences. Slip and fall accidents account for about one million ER visits or around 12% of all ER visits. The resulting injuries cost North America an estimated $36 billion per year or more than $100 million per day. Florida has a thriving tourism business that includes many public spaces, hotels, amusement parks, theatres, and restaurants. Slips and falls are the leading cause of accidents in these facilities.
Even so, many slip and fall injuries, including those that result in death, occur at home, and roughly half of all unintentional deaths at home are caused by a fall. Most of them can cause by a fall at ground level rather than a fall from a ladder, roof, or other elevated position.
On the other hand, slip and fall injuries are more than recreational activities or the house. According to the National Safety Council, the annual cost of on-the-job slip and fall accidents is estimated to be $70 billion. If you are injured on the job, you may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim. The slip and fall accidents may be the fault of a responsible person, in which case you may be able to make a separate and supplementary claim.
Where can a slip and fall occur?
Slip and fall can occur in anyplace. However, some of the most common public places are :
- Clubs
- Restaurants
- Public Restrooms
- Shopping Malls
- Curbs
- Grocery stores
- Stationary sidewalks
- Bars
- The slippery area near swimming pools
- Construction areas
Damages You May Be Able to Recover Following a Slip and Fall
Florida uses “pure comparative negligence rules for slip and fall accidents.” This means the amount of compensation you deserve, lowered by the percentage of blame you bear for the accident. This implies that if you earn $10,000 in compensation for your slip and fall and you were 20% liable for the accident, your payout will reduce by 20%, and you will only receive $8,000. In the state of Florida, the damages you receive for a slip and fall may include the following:
- All medical expenses, including hospitalization, surgery, physician fees, rehabilitation, prescription medicines, and so on.
- Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may have lost money as well as future earnings.
- Suffering and pain.
- Reduced quality of life, as well as punitive damages, if deliberate or willful careless.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall
If you a part of a slip and fall, you might have suffered head trauma, scratches, scrapes, bruises, or fractured bones and fractures. Injuries may appear after the adrenaline rush of the accident has worn off. Slip and fall accidents can cost you a lot of money in medical bills and may even keep you from going back to work. Even if you do not believe you have serious injury due to a slip and fall accident, you must seek emergency medical assistance.
If you are possible, take photographs of the accident scene after your slip and fall accident to ensure you have recorded the hazard that caused your fall—Take down the names and phone numbers of any witnesses to the accident. Taking a few moments to document your accident thoroughly might be quite beneficial when negotiating reasonable compensation. Your Florida slip and fall lawyer will also collect evidence on your behalf to demonstrate that the owner was irresponsible in property maintenance and that this negligence was directly responsible for your fall. If video surveillance is available, your attorney can use it to evaluate how long the hazard existed.
If you were in a Florida slip and fall, you could have sustained serious injuries and may be unable to return to work for some time, if not forever.
It is critical to speak with an expert Florida slip and fall attorney from AJK Legal at this period, and the sooner you do so, the better.
Our Florida slip and fall lawyers have many years of combined expertise and well-versed in the regulations about a Florida slip and fall. Don’t wait, thinking that your injuries will heal or that the insurance company would pay you what they are genuinely worth.
