Philadelphia Slip and Fall Attorneys

What happens to you after you slip and fall and break a limb or suffer a head injury? Most likely, you will go to the hospital, receive expensive medical treatment, and then spend weeks or even longer recovering from those injuries. During that time, you probably can’t work. This means that you are out the money you spent on your medical bills, and your bank account is being drained because you aren’t working.

Many people fear serious injuries will lead to financial ruin. At Wapner Newman, we understand those fears. Our Philadelphia slip and fall attorneys will investigate your case and determine whether you can get compensation for your losses and expenses.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries

How the Negligence of Another Party Can Result in Your Getting Hurt

Anyone can slip on a bar of soap in the shower and bump their head against the wall. That is the type of accident where you are responsible for your injuries. When that happens, you will be responsible for the costs of your injuries. However, many slip and fall injuries involve the negligence of another party. When another party causes a slip and fall injury, you can file a lawsuit against the responsible party to get compensation for the harm you suffered. The following are common examples of slip and fall injuries caused by the negligence of others.

Nursing Home Abuse

When you place a loved one in a nursing home, it is because you want professionals to help that loved one handle everyday activities that they can no longer perform without assistance due to advanced age. The expectation is that the staff at the nursing home will care for your loved one as diligently as you would if you had the training and time to do so. Unfortunately, some nursing home staff abuse the people in their care by neglecting them.

A neglected elder may need assistance to perform activities like bathing or walking. If they don’t receive the assistance they need, this increases the likelihood that they will slip and seriously injure themselves in a fall. While you may be responsible when you slip and fall in the shower, a loved one in a nursing home isn’t at fault if they should have received assistance and didn’t. An instance of nursing home abuse provides the element of negligence that allows you to take legal action on behalf of your loved one. When another party has an explicit duty to help someone avoid slip and fall injuries, failure to assist is a negligent act that permits a lawsuit.

Bad Weather

When you are walking in rain or snow, you are more likely to slip than when you are walking in clear weather. You can take measures to protect yourself from such falls, like wearing the right footwear and moving slowly, but typically no one is at fault if you fall. But what if that rain or snow gets tracked into the foyer of a grocery store and you slip on a puddle after entering? Is that still just the fault of the weather or is someone responsible? Generally, the owner of the premises would be considered responsible for failing to keep their foyer clear of rain, snow, or ice. Grocery store staff should regularly clean and dry the entryway to keep it safe for customers. When they fail to do that, the staff creates an unsafe environment. This is one of many examples of premises liability, where the owner of a public location is responsible for the safety of people who enter that location legally.

Spills

This cause of slip and fall injuries is similar to the last one, except it is usually constrained to certain establishments. Slippery liquids and substances are most likely to spill in the following places:

• Restaurants or cafeterias
• Auto repair shops
• Construction sites
• Locker rooms.

When you fall at these types of places, it may be because the owner (or their employees) failed to correct dangerous situations or warn people about them. For example, while a swimming pool owner may not be able to prevent slippery walkways, they should put up warning signs. If they fail to do so and you get hurt, you should contact Philadelphia slip and fall attorneys at Wapner Newman as soon as possible.

Were you seriously injured in a fall due to the negligence of another party? Our legal team at Wapner Newman can help you get compensation for your medical bills and other expenses related to that injury. Contact our law firm at (215) 569-0900 to schedule a free consultation today.

Poor Maintenance

Another common situation that results in slip and fall injuries is poor maintenance by the owner of a location. For example, if the light has burned out in a stairwell, the owner might be responsible if you fell and hurt yourself because it was too dark to see. Whether the owner was responsible for your injury would depend on how long the light had been burned out and whether they were aware of the danger or should have been aware of the danger. Failing to repair broken flooring or worn carpet could similarly lead to a dangerous condition. Experienced slip and fall lawyers at our law firm can help you identify whether a dangerous condition was responsible for your fall.

Why Choose Us?

Experienced Slip and Fall Attorneys in Philadelphia

Hiring the right slip and fall attorney can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case, even if your case doesn’t go to court. Our legal team has decades of experience investigating these types of cases. We know what kind of evidence is needed to convince the insurance company to approve your claim and we are familiar with how to navigate the insurance claim process of major insurance companies. As counterintuitive as it may seem, when you hire our law firm to support your case early in the claims process, you are less likely to need to go to court to get fair compensation than if you don’t have legal representation. We will gather as much evidence as possible before contacting the insurance company and then use that to negotiate fair compensation, typically without filing a lawsuit.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t fight for your rights in the courtroom. While we have obtained millions of dollars in settlements, we have also won millions more from jury verdicts. Our Philadelphia slip and fall lawyers are experienced courtroom litigators who know how to convince a jury to rule in favor of our clients. Often, our reputation for obtaining success in the courtroom helps us negotiate better settlements that prevent us from needing to go to court. If you were injured due to the negligence of another, you won’t find better slip and fall attorneys to fight for your rights.

FAQ

Do you have questions after suffering a serious injury in a fall? If you are like most of our clients, you do. Over the decades we have served our community, we have answered thousands of questions from clients who want to better understand their rights and the law. The following are some of the most common questions we get.

How long do I have to file a lawsuit after a slip and fall injury in Philadelphia?

Pennsylvania law limits the time you can wait before filing a lawsuit. The statute of limitations is two years from the date of your injury. If you wait longer than that, your case will be dismissed by the presiding judge.

Can I file a lawsuit if a loved one died from a slip and fall injury?

That depends on the circumstances of the fall. If the fall was caused by the negligence of another party, then you can file a wrongful death claim against that party. In the simplest terms, if your loved one could have filed a personal injury claim against the party had they lived, you can file a wrongful death claim because they didn’t.

How much money will I get from a slip and fall lawsuit in Philadelphia?

That depends on how seriously you were injured and how negligent the other party was. Your medical bills and lost hours will typically be higher if you are seriously injured. Additionally, you will usually get more compensation for pain and suffering if the other party was highly negligent or acted intentionally.

How much will a Philadelphia personal injury lawyer cost?

Our law firm works on contingency. If we fail to get you money, we don’t get paid. If we get you money, we take a percentage of the money that we win for you.

If you have any more questions, we will happily answer them during your free consultation.

Contact Wapner Newman in Philadelphia Today

Getting seriously injured in a slip and fall accident doesn’t have to be financially debilitating. With the right lawyer, you can recover compensation from the responsible party and avoid falling into debt.

Not sure whether you can get compensation after suffering a fall? Contact the experienced Philadelphia lawyers at Wapner Newman immediately at (215) 569-0900 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.