New Hampshire Slip and Fall Attorney
The insurance industry and commercial lobbying organizations often depict slip and fall accidents as the subject of slapstick comedy. The entertainment industry frequently shows a fall victim taking on and off a neck brace with the implication that the victim is faking a serious injury. Despite these stereotypes, slip and fall accidents result in far more significant consequences than a bruised ego. According to the CDC, slip and fall accidents result in the hospitalization of 700,000 people each year. Further, slip and falls are the leading cause of death for people over the age of 65 and constitute the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries among all age groups. In other words, slip and fall accidents are both serious and common.
Holding Negligent Property Owners Accountable – Manchester Slip and Fall Lawyer
If you suffer a broken hip, fracture, traumatic brain injury, or other serious injury in a fall because of hazards on commercial, public, or residential property, you might be saddled with mounting medical expenses, lost wages, and even permanent disability or other forms of loss. As a seasoned and compassionate Manchester slip and fall lawyer, I have the experience and commitment to tenaciously pursue the financial recovery clients need to reclaim their lives after a serious injury. Because my law firm handles many slip and fall cases, I am thoroughly versed in the tactics insurers use to avoid or minimize payouts in fall-related accident cases. Because a slip and fall accident often turns on subtle factual distinctions, I work with my staff to thoroughly gather evidence and to investigate the facts. This process includes (but is not limited to) interviewing witnesses, obtaining medical records, uncovering past safety citations or violations, reviewing video footage, exposing deviations from maintenance policies, and analyzing the specific hazardous conditions that caused your fall.
New Hampshire Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers Highlight Common Causes of Falls
A slip or trip and fall accident may be caused by a wide range of potential hazards that include slipping on a wet or icy surface or stumbling down a staircase with a poorly maintained step. Some common causes of slip and falls include:
- Falls caused by debris or other items in walkways
- Poorly maintained or missing railings
- Unaddressed wet flooring or pavement because of spills or weather
- Uneven, poorly maintained or cracked pavement, floors, or walkways
- Poor lighting that obscures fall hazards
- Inadequate warnings or protective barriers
Pursuing a Successful Trip and Fall or Slip and Fall Lawsuit in New Hampshire
The process of proving liability in a slip and fall lawsuit under New Hampshire law is complicated, so injury victims need an experienced Manchester slip and fall lawyer. To prevail in a personal injury lawsuit that involves a fall, an injury victim must establish at least one of the following:
- The property owner or agent of the owner (i.e. employee) was aware of the hazardous condition but made no attempt to address the problem.
- The property owner or agent/employee of the owner created the hazard, such as spilling a drink or placing an obstacle in a walkway.
- The property owner or employee should have known about the hazardous condition because a reasonable person would have known of the danger and taken action to mitigate the risk.
Slip and falls caused by slipping or tripping often occur on commercial property, but they can also occur on public or residential property. The location of the accident will determine the duty owed by the property owner and the requirements for pursuing a legal claim, so you should speak to an experienced Manchester slip and fall lawyer. Our law firm frequently pursues fall accidents that occur in parking structures, shopping centers, malls, grocery stores, retail stores, recreation centers, gyms, hospitals, government buildings, and residential homes. If you slip and fall, you should seek legal advice promptly because an investigation will be necessary to gather evidence and to investigate the premises.
Factual evidence that may be critical includes:
- Length of time the hazardous condition existed
- Cause of the hazard
- Nature of the unsafe condition
- Placement and functioning of lighting at the fall location
- Prior accidents related to negligent maintenance of the property
- Presence and sufficiency of warnings or barriers
- Emergency calls to the property from prior similar slip and fall accidents
- Expert opinions regarding slip resistance of flooring
- Maintenance and sanitation policies of business
- Video footage from the business or surrounding properties
- Non-compliance with safety regulations and building codes
- Efforts of the property owner or employee to eradicate the hazard
- Compliance with the company’s own maintenance procedures
These are just a few examples of potentially relevant facts a New Hampshire slip and fall attorney at our law firm might investigate to build a compelling legal claim when taking on a property owner’s insurance company.
Manchester Fall Injury Lawyer’s List of Steps to Take for Injury Victims
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, you can improve the odds that you receive a maximum recovery by taking the following steps:
Seek Prompt Medical Attention: Many people underestimate the severity of their injuries in the immediate aftermath of a fall. A fall might result in injuries that become more severe with the passage of time, such as a traumatic brain injury that results in bleeding within your skull. If you seek prompt medical attention, this allows for a better prognosis and diagnostic testing to confirm the existence and severity of your injury in a subsequent lawsuit.
Report the Accident: A slip and fall victim should immediately report his or her injury to management or the property owner. If an accident report is prepared, you should indicate the factors that caused your fall, such as poor lighting, the presence of a clear, slick substance on the floor, an uneven bunched carpet, etc. You will want to obtain a copy of the report before leaving the business.
Gather Evidence: If you are physically able to do so, you should gather as much relevant evidence as possible. Examples of the types of evidence you might want include:
- Name and contact information of witnesses (includes employees of property owner)
- Photos of the hazard and other factors that contributed to the fall, as well as pictures of any visible injuries
- Copies of any accident report
Seek Prompt Legal Advice: While any personal injury lawsuit will be difficult to win without legal representation, the need to promptly retain an experienced New Hampshire slip and fall lawyer is even more compelling in this type of case. Given the outcome of these cases often turn on minor factual distinctions, your attorney will want to undertake a prompt investigation. Security footage, witnesses, and hazardous conditions can disappear if you wait to retain legal representation.
Teale Law is an Experienced Slip and Fall Injury Law Firm
If you suffer an injury during a fall in a store, campus building, supermarket, restaurant, parking lot, or any other type of property in New Hampshire, generally, the statute of limitations establishes a three-year deadline to pursue your claim. If you fail to file a lawsuit within this period, your lawsuit usually will be barred. If you experience an injury on public property necessitating a lawsuit against a government entity, you must meet other special requirements that might include serving a notice of claim on a much tighter deadline, so you should speak to a New Hampshire slip and fall attorney promptly. When you or a loved one suffers a serious injury in a slip and fall accident, call Teale Law Firm at 603-935-7425 for a free initial consultation and case review.
