Slip and Fall Attorney in Athens

If you have been hurt in a slip, trip, or fall caused by a dangerous or hazardous condition on someone else’s property, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your injuries and financial losses. Unfortunately, pursuing a slip and fall claim can often be a legally complex endeavor. At R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, our experienced Athens slip and fall lawyers team will thoroughly investigate your fall accident, manage all the paperwork, and fight for the full compensation you need to recover.

Contact our Athens slip and fall attorneys today to schedule a free case evaluation. You can discuss the details of your case with us and learn more about your legal rights and options for seeking the financial compensation you need for your injuries.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents?

Some of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents in Athens include:

• • Spilled liquids, food, or other slippery substances on the floor
  • Recently mopped or waxed floors
  • Uneven steps
  • Broken tile or hardwood flooring
  • Broken pavement and potholes
  • Abrupt transitions between flooring surfaces, such as from carpet to hardwood
  • Clutter or debris on the floor
  • Wires strewn across walkways
  • Staircases without sufficient handrails
  • Poor lighting
  • Precipitation or mud tracked in from the outside
  • Snow and ice

How Can I Prove My Injuries Are from My Slip and Fall Accident?

In order to prove that your injuries were caused by a slip and fall accident, you may need to rely on one or more pieces of evidence, such as:

• An accident or incident report, if your slip and fall took place at a commercial property such as a store, restaurant, or hotel
• Surveillance video footage showing your fall
• Accident scene photos, taken by yourself, a witness, or the property owner or operator, documenting the hazard you slipped on, the surrounding area, any warning signs or barricades, the lighting conditions, and the weather conditions (if applicable)
• Eyewitness statements
• Your medical records documenting your injuries and your course of treatment

When you choose an Athens slip and fall lawyer from R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, we will work meticulously to gather the evidence needed to prove fault and support your case.

Is the Landowner Always Responsible in a Slip and Fall Case?

A landowner can be held responsible for injuries suffered in a slip and fall accident if your accident was caused by a dangerous condition on their property that the landowner knew about or should have known about. A landowner might not be responsible for a slip and fall accident if the accident was caused by a recent, temporary hazard – for example, snow and ice buildup on the sidewalk during a storm, or food or liquid that was just spilled by a customer in a grocery store or restaurant.

In addition, a landowner may not be responsible for a slip and fall accident if the property is leased to a tenant who is responsible for the danger or hazard that caused the accident. Alternatively, a landowner may not be responsible for a slip and fall accident caused by a condition or hazard that a maintenance company hired by the landowner negligently failed to fix or clean up.

What If I Fell at a Friend’s or Family Member’s House?

If you suffered a slip and fall injury at a friend’s or a family member’s home, you may be understandably reluctant to file a legal claim against your friend or loved one for compensation for your injuries. You may worry that taking money from a friend or family member can jeopardize your personal relationship.

However, you should remember that compensation for slip and fall injuries that occur at a person’s home is paid out by the homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, which typically includes liability coverage for incidents like slip and fall accidents. Your friend or a family member has homeowner’s or renter’s insurance for this very purpose – to protect themselves in the event someone is injured in their home.

How Much Is My Slip and Fall Case Worth in Athens?

After you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, you may wonder what compensation you might be entitled to seek for your injuries. Some of the damages you can be compensated for include:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Lost quality of life

In addition, you might be entitled to seek compensation for property damaged in your fall, such as broken glasses or a broken watch. An Athens slip and fall attorney can help with the details.

What Are the Comparative Negligence Rules?

Under Georgia’s comparative negligence rules, a person who suffers injuries in a slip and fall accident may recover monetary compensation for the damages, so long as the jury finds that the injured person was not more than 49 percent at fault for the accident. If the injured person was 50 percent or more responsible for the slip and fall accident, the victim cannot recover any compensation.

If the injured person bears a share of the fault for the accident, then the compensation will be reduced to reflect that share of fault. For example, if a jury finds a slip and fall plaintiff 20 percent responsible for his or her injuries, then the compensation awarded will be reduced by 20 percent to reflect that share of fault.

In practice, this means that the at-fault party will try to prove that you are substantially responsible for your injury. You will need a knowledgeable slip and fall attorney to show who was at fault and protect you from being unfairly blamed.

How Long Do I Have to File a Slip and Fall Lawsuit?

If you wish to claim compensation for your slip and fall accident in Athens, you have two years from the date of your accident to file your lawsuit. If you fail to file your lawsuit within this legal timeframe, the court can permanently dismiss your claim.

Talk to a Nearby Athens, GA Slip and Fall Lawyer Now

If you have suffered an injury in a slip and fall accident in Athens, you may be entitled to seek compensation for the damages you have incurred. Contact the premises liability lawyers at R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our Athens slip and fall lawyers. Our Athens personal injury lawyers are here to discuss your legal rights and options after a slip and fall injury.