Slips, trips, and falls are just three of the most common ways in which people are injured while on commercial property. Be it uneven flooring, a poorly placed mat, or even a lack of proper railing, the owner of a particular property is responsible for maintaining it in such a way that doesn't place the people who frequent it at risk of injury. Unfortunately, owners don't always follow through on this. If you feel like an injury you have recently suffered is the direct result of this kind of negligence, consider contacting an attorney who can represent you in court. Keep reading for three reasons why it is likely in your best interest to do so.
Knowledge of Property Laws
Lawyers who specialize in slip and fall cases are intimately familiar with property laws in the state in which they practice. This is vital to a case as many of the more obscure property laws — ones a layman would have a hard time discovering and parsing — deal with various tenant and landlord obligations. For example, a lease agreement might require a tenant to clear any pedestrian pathways (e.g. sidewalks) of snow and ice in the winter. A tenant who fails to do this can easily be held accountable for injuries sustained by other individuals as a result.
Settlement vs. Trial
Contrary to popular belief, not all legal cases go to trial. After hiring an attorney who has experience dealing with cases similar to yours, you may find that a settlement, not a trial, is actually in your best interest. In fact, while the legal services an attorney provides certainly aren't free, you may actually save money by hiring an attorney who keeps you from dragging out your in case in court. Rather than spend months waiting for a judge to issue a decision, consider hiring an attorney who can advise you on the of settlement you can expect to receive.
Proving Liability
Without an attorney to gather evidence on your behalf, a slip and fall case is usually nothing more than a case of interminable he-said, she-said. On the other hand, a lawyer will be able to gather physical evidence, footage from security cameras, and formal witness testimony to bolster your claim that a given property owner is at fault. Representing yourself in these kinds of cases may seem prudent at first, but without the expertise necessary to prove legal liability, it may prove far tougher than imagined.
Speak with a slip and fall lawyer to learn more.
Someone else does something silly. You get hurt and incur thousands of dollars' worth of medical bills, and you're also forced to take a month off from work. It doesn't really sound fair, does it? It's not. But luckily, there is a way you can ensure the responsible party ends up paying for your expenses, and that's by hiring a personal injury attorney. Your attorney can file a civil suit against the person who caused your injuries, so you can get paid what you deserve.
Learn more about personal injury attorneys and the work they do right here. When you're injured due to someone else's actions, this information will come in really handy.