Sumter Slip and Fall Lawyer
Slip and fall accidents are among the most common accidents that occur to people. More than a million people are hurt from a trip, slip and fall injury, and more than 17,000 individuals as a result per year, according to the Central for Disease Control and Prevention. Slip and fall accidents are typically the consequence of slipping, falling, tripping, or stumbling, especially when the individual is present at someone else’s property. The premises could either be private or public. When you speak with a Sumter slip and fall lawyer, we can help you know what your rights are with a legal case.
Whether it is a private residence, hotels, grocery stores, motels, retail locations, fitness centers, restaurants, etc., you can recover compensation from the property owner or any other party that could be accountable for your slip and fall injury. If you or your loved one has ever been in a slip and fall accident in Sumter, your immediate action should be to consult a slip and fall accident lawyer who is experienced in such cases. Marc Brown Law Firm has attorneys that are skilled and experienced in the area of slip and fall accidents.
Our lawyers understand all the guidelines and laws that need to be followed related to slip and fall accidents. Marc Brown is an experienced attorney who has worked numerous cases of slip and fall accidents.
Brown is not only experienced but also is a highly skilled personal injury lawyer who knows how to win cases for his clients. He formerly worked at a national firm defending corporate organization. From that he knows what the defending party would do, in most cases. This understanding has made him valuable to his clients.
How Do Slip and Falls Happen?
The key component in a personal injury claim stemming from a fall is proving how the fall happened. You will not be successful if you simply fell of your own accord—examples include tripping over an object because you were looking at your phone, losing your balance due to intoxication, or rolling an ankle while running in a busy supermarket. In order for a slip and fall claim to be triumphant, the business or property owner’s neglect must have caused, or been the primary cause, of the fall. Examples include:
- Slippery or wet floor
- Greasy or dirty floor
- Damaged or cracked flooring surface
- No handrail on a staircase
- Bad lighting
- Tripping objects laying in the walkway
- Uneven walking surface
- No warning or hazard markings on step ups or step downs
- Walkways that are not built to code, such as an overly steep ramp or too-tall stair step
What Types of Premises Are Involved in Slip and Fall Claims?
Any property or business owner can be held liable for the fall injuries of an invitee (person who was on the premises legally). Examples of potential slip and fall locations include:
- Private homes
- Driveways
- Restaurants
- Fast food chains
- Retail stores
- Big box stores
- Grocery stores
- Convenient stores
- Libraries
- Offices
- The workplace
- Hospitals
- Bus stations
- Airports
- Nursing homes and assisted living facilities
- Schools, universities, and day care facilities
- Sidewalks
- Parking garages and parking lots
- Sports stadiums and arenas
Proving Negligence in Slip & Fall Accidents
Plaintiffs not only have to prove that they fell because of a hazard, but they must also prove that the property or business owner had knowledge of the hazard, there was time to address the hazard, and the owner failed to take necessary action to repair the issue. When it comes to knowledge, there are two relevant types: actual knowledge and constructive knowledge. An example of actual knowledge would be seeing a spilled item in the walkway, while an example of constructive knowledge would be knowing that it is raining and that there would likely be a slippery entrance to a store because of that rain.
The owner of a property is supposed to take particular precautions to keep their property harmless and safe. This responsibility is stricter and important for commercial premises owners, and they are detained on a greater pedestal.
These duties and responsibilities are typically called “premises liability.” Sadly, a lot of property owners ignore and neglect these responsibilities and fail to keep their property safe. This negligence is generally the primary reason for slip and fall accidents. A property owner can not automatically be held responsible for the slip and fall accident that happens in their property. It has to be recognized that the property owner was unaware of the ‘unsafe condition’ that caused the accident.
Similarly, if you prove that the property owner deliberately ignored and neglected the unsafe condition on his property, that will benefit your case. Another claim that you can establish is that even if the unsafe condition was created by someone else, the property owner neglected it and did not fix it within due time. Generally, not everyone is aware of their full rights, and they do not know how to react to such accidents.
Their lack of awareness leads them to physical, emotional, and financial harm, which is unfair to you as your accident was caused due to someone else’s negligence. Therefore, whenever you happen to be in such an accident, the first thing you should do is consult a bar certified lawyer who knows his work around slip and fall accidents so that he can guide you and help you compensate for your damages.
Marc Brown is an experienced lawyer in such cases and would be able to help you recover all your damages.
In addition to hiring a lawyer, here are some steps you can take, per the NSC:
- “Keep floors and surfaces clear of clutter
- Wear sensible footwear
- Properly arrange furniture to create open pathways
- Maintain good lighting indoors and out.”
These tips will not always guarantee no accidents will happen, but they can definitely minimize the chances.
Call Sumter Slip and Fall Attorney Marc Brown Today for a Free Consultation
Business and property owners have a duty to maintain safe premises for all invitees. Failure to do so is likely to result in an injury, and when such an injury—including a slip and fall or trip and fall—occurs, they can be held liable for the victim’s damages. Sumter slip & fall lawyer Marc Brown handles a variety of premises liability claims, including slip and falls in which the victim, regardless of age or ability, is injured because of another party’s carelessness.
If a property owner or business owner had knowledge of a hazard, time to remedy the hazard, and failed to do so, resulting in your injury, you have a high chance of success in recovering compensation for your injuries. Feel free to call Sumter slip and fall attorney Marc Brown today at (803) 848-0008 to schedule a free consultation.
