Largo Slip & Fall Attorney
Every year, emergency responders rush over eight million people to hospital emergency rooms after serious falls. That figure makes slip-and-fall injuries the leading cause of emergency room visits in the country. Most of these victims are treated and released. Therefore, their head injuries and other serious injuries often go undiagnosed and untreated. As a result, their medical conditions deteriorate. By the time they get the attention they need, their injuries are much more difficult to treat.
Generally, property owners have a duty of care to make their premises reasonably safe. It doesn’t matter if the victim was a business customer or a social guest. This duty includes a responsibility to frequently inspect the property and immediately address wet spots on floors, uneven walkways, loose handrails, and other fall hazards.
When property owners, or their insurance companies, try to dodge their legal responsibilities, the hard-working Largo slip & fall attorneys at The Reep Law Firm force property owners to fulfill their legal obligations. Our hard work begins by connecting fall victims with the medical treatment they need. Because we have professional relationships with top-notch doctors, this treatment usually costs nothing upfront. Once we take care of this need, we focus on building your claim for damages. Then, when the case goes to court, we never stop fighting for you.
Slip & Fall Injuries
We touched on the medical issues in slip-and-fall cases above. Some specific injuries these victims sustain include:
- Head Injuries: Contrary to popular myth, the brain doesn’t fit snugly inside the skull, like a head in a hat. Instead, the skull is essentially a water tank that suspends the brain in cerebrospinal fluid. When victims fall and land hard, their brains slam against the insides of their skulls, causing serious injuries that are often permanent.
- Broken Bones: Frequently, the broken bones in these cases are so severe that doctors must use metal parts to set them during surgical procedures. The additional medical intervention on the front end means a longer recovery on the back end. This extensive medical treatment sounds expensive, and it is expensive.
- Spine Injuries: The spine is a long chain which consists of thirty-three bones and twenty-six vertebrae. The aforementioned motion of a fall often knocks the spine out of alignment. The resulting injuries are incredibly painful and often significantly reduce mobility. Frequently, risky and invasive back surgery is the only treatment option.
Frequently, victims have pre-existing conditions, like arthritis or prior injuries, which make these severe injuries even more severe. Legally, insurance companies and other defendants cannot use a victim’s physical vulnerabilities as an excuse to reduce or deny compensation.
Liability Issues
Usually, a Largo slip & fall attorney can obtain maximum compensation in a pre-existing injury claim, thanks to the eggshell skull rule. These claims often have other legal complexities.
Lack of evidence is another common issue. Frequently, no one witnesses falls. This lack of evidence could be a problem, since the victim/plaintiff has the burden of proof.
Another obscure legal doctrine, res ipsa loquitur (the thing speaks for itself), usually comes into play in these situations. Generally, Pinellas County jurors may presume that negligence caused an injury if the defendant had exclusive control over that area and negligence normally causes such injuries.
Rely on an Experienced Pinellas County Attorney
Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced slip & fall attorney in Largo, contact The Reep Law Firm. Attorneys can connect victims with doctors, even if they have no insurance or money.
