Shreveport Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer
Practice Areas
Slip and Fall Injury Lawyers in Shreveport, Bossier, & Mansfield, LA
Helping those who have suffered a personal injury in Shreveport, Bossier City, and Mansfield due to the fault of another.
Everyone should have a reasonable expectation of safety when they enter a public store, business, or establishment. Unfortunately, while no one expects to put their safety at risk when they enter a business, it happens more often than you might think. Perhaps you slipped on a wet floor in the grocery store or lost your balance due to an uneven surface at a restaurant. In this case, you may be too focused on your own embarrassment to recognize that another person or entity might be responsible for your accident. Regardless of where, why, or how you slipped and fell, the establishment’s owner have a legal responsibility to keep their guests safe. If they fail to do so, you may have a valid personal injury claim on your hands and need the help of a Shreveport slip and fall injury lawyer like those at Gordon & Gordon Law Firm.
Premises Liability: Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Though your first instinct may be to shame yourself, you may not bear the blame if you are hurt in a slip and fall accident. In fact, the property owner where the incident occurred may often be held responsible for several situations of slip and fall incidents. This responsibility arises when the property owner does not exercise reasonable care while letting visitors onto their premises. So, if the fall was caused by a property owner’s carelessness or negligence, you might be entitled to compensation under Louisiana personal injury law.
A slip and fall accident can happen for many reasons. Among the most common causes of slip and fall accidents in which the property owner is at fault include:
- Pavement or other walking surfaces that are uneven
- Snow or ice accumulation
- Wet or slippery floors
- Freshly polished floors
- Water, oil, or other substances in a puddle or spill
- Carpets that bunch, curl at the edges, or do not lay flat
- Uneven floors or sidewalks
- Unsafe steps or stairs
- Construction hazards
- Safety code violations
- Structural damage
Property owners are obliged to take reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of people who visit their property, land, or premises. That means, if any conditions prove hazardous to a visitor and the property owner is aware of them, they may be held legally responsible. For example, something as simple as caution signs or visible warnings can make all the difference when it comes to establishing liability. In fact, many slips and fall injuries can be easily avoided with a posted notice.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, you should consult with a Shreveport personal injury lawyer about your case as quickly as possible.
Types of Slip and Fall Injuries
When someone slips and falls, the injuries they sustain may not be seen or felt immediately. It could take a day or two, if not longer, to feel the adverse effects of the injury. Too often, the humiliation that comes with falling drives a significant number of people to shrug it off and pretend they are alright, even if they aren’t. Additionally, the adrenaline that rushes through a person’s body when they are hurt might mask the pain and lead them to falsely believe they are uninjured, even if that is not the case.
We have seen time and time again clients who discover injuries in the days or even weeks following their slip and fall accident. Some of these injuries might include things like:
- Broken bones
- Bruising
- Muscle tears or sprains
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
As you can see, slip and fall injuries are not limited to bruised bottoms or skinned knees. Even the simplest fall can result in devastating injuries, given the right circumstances. This is why it is important that after an incident like this, you get medical attention right away. Because of the potential severity of your injuries, receiving medical help and therefor, proof of your injury, is the first step towards compensation to pay for the best available treatment for your injuries.
What is a Premises Liability Claim?
A premises liability claim is when a person gets hurt on another person’s property and seeks to hold the owner responsible for their damages. No matter the type of property, owners must keep a safe environment for all who enter the premises. When this standard is not met, it becomes a premises liability.
Besides slip and fall accidents, there are several other common types of premises liability claims our personal injury lawyers handle. These include:
- Dog bites
- Store liability
- Restaurant liability
- Hazardous property
- Improper maintenance
- Attractive nuisance claims
- Insufficient lighting
- Poor security
How Much is a Slip and Fall Case Worth?
Making an accurate estimate of what your personal injury lawsuit is worth is difficult. This is because every case is different and has unique contributing factors that play a role in determining the value of liability cases.
Your Shreveport slip and fall injury attorney considers the following information when you seek compensation for the damages incurred:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Lost earning capacity
- Secondary expenses such as travel expenses for doctor appointments
- Emotional distress
Slip and fall accidents can be costly. The Centers for Disease Control places the average cost of medical attention for a slip and fall accident at around $30,000, which is an astounding amount of money for the average person. That’s why you need a Shreveport fall accident lawyer like Stephen and Daniel Gordon fighting to get you the compensation you deserve.
Why Should You Hire a Shreveport Personal Injury Lawyer
When a person slips and falls on someone else’s property and sustains injuries, a personal injury lawyer in Shreveport ensures the injured party gets the compensation they need to pay for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and any other damages or losses that may have been a result of the accident. Though anyone can legally handle a civil suit on their own, it may prove much more challenging to achieve a successful outcome than if they were to have professional legal counsel on their side.
According to studies, when a person seeks legal help from a personal injury lawyer rather than doing it alone, they often obtain a payout that is 3.5 times higher. In addition, dealing with insurance providers on your own can be highly stressful and challenging. In most cases, the settlements offered by insurance companies are far less than what injured plaintiffs are actually entitled to, and these insurers have their sneaky ways of getting you to accept a lowball offer before speaking with a fall accident lawyer who knows better.
Our Shreveport personal injury attorneys at Gordon & Gordon know what it takes to obtain the compensation our clients deserve for their injuries. If a fair settlement cannot be agreed upon, we are more than willing to take your case all the way to trial and fight aggressively on your behalf.
Seeking Compensation For a Slip and Fall Accident?
If you suffered injuries from a slip and fall accident due to someone else’s negligence, you need to act fast to seek damages. The state of Louisiana places a one-year statute of limitations on filing a personal injury claim.
Gordon & Gordon’s quality legal counsel possesses the experience and understanding of Louisiana law to handle even the most complex legal challenges in personal injury cases. With our extensive trial experience, you can breathe easy knowing that our legal team fight for you to the finish. We also offer a free consultation to discuss your legal options for your case and establish a formal attorney-client relationship.
In addition to premises liability and slip and fall incidents, the personal injury lawyers at Gordon & Gordon represent several practice areas, including Shreveport car accidents, Shreveport worker’s compensation, Shreveport 18-wheeler accidents, Shreveport wrongful death, and so much more. Please contact us by calling (318) 716-4357 or complete our online case submission form for a free case evaluation today.