Hartford Slip & Fall Attorney
When you are injured in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property in Hartford, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
Pursuing a slip and fall accident claim can be complicated. In lots of cases, particularly those involving large corporations, the property owner or business owner will try to avoid liability for your injuries. That is why it is important to have dedicated, experienced legal representation on your side as you pursue compensation for your slip and fall injuries.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident in Hartford or elsewhere in Connecticut, contact Kocian Law Group today to schedule a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable Hartford slip and fall accident attorneys. Our Hartford injury lawyers will discuss your legal rights and options and show you how our firm can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
What Do You Have to Prove in a Slip and Fall Claim?
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, you will need to prove that the property owner or business owner on the property was negligent in maintenance of the property, and that this negligence caused your injury and damages.
You will need to prove that the owner or occupant failed to exercise due care. In most cases, this requires proof that the property owner or occupant knew of the dangerous condition that caused your slip and fall, or that the condition existed long enough that the owner or occupant should have discovered it in the exercise of proper care.
For example, if you slip and fall on a wet patch in a supermarket, you must prove that the store’s staff knew of the wet floor, or that the wet floor existed long enough that the staff should have discovered it.
You must also show that the property owner or operator had sufficient opportunity to remedy the dangerous condition or hazard. In the example of a wet floor in a supermarket, the store may try to argue that the staff did not have sufficient time to retrieve a wet floor sign or clean the spill, such as if a store employee left to retrieve a sign or mop mere seconds before the accident occurred.
In many cases, you will also need to prove that the dangerous condition or hazard was not one that would have been readily obvious to you. Again, in the example of the supermarket, the store may claim that a wet floor sign was placed but you ignored it.
How Our Hartford Slip and Fall Attorneys Can Help You
In the days following a slip and fall accident, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the prospect of seeking compensation. You may end up facing insurance companies and defense law firms who will try to disclaim coverage by arguing that someone else is liable for your injuries, or even by arguing that you are responsible for your own slip and fall accident.
Our Hartford slip and fall attorneys can help you seek the compensation you deserve by aggressively pursuing your case against those responsible for your injuries. Our attorneys can investigate the facts and circumstances of the incident and build a strong case to show that you do not bear responsibility for your accident.
Our attorneys can also investigate ownership of the property to determine who was responsible for the hazardous condition that caused your slip and fall, whether it is the property owner, a person or business occupying the property, or even a third-party company responsible for maintaining the property.
When corporations are liable to you for compensation, our attorneys can also peel back the multiple layers of insurance coverage that many businesses have to seek access to the maximum amount of insurance coverage available.
Our attorneys can negotiate with the property or business owner and their insurers to pursue a timely and full settlement. If we cannot reach a settlement for you, we are prepared to take your claim to court to advocate on your behalf for all the compensation you are entitled to.
Compensation Available After a Slip and Fall Accident in Hartford
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to several different types of compensation for damages arising from your injury. Personal injury damages typically fall into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Examples of economic damages include:
- Past and future medical expenses, such as hospital bills, doctor’s office visits, surgeries, prescription medications, physical therapy, and equipment such braces, slings, and crutches
- Past and future lost wages, including wages lost from missed work because of your injuries, and any difference between your pre-accident and post-accident income if your injuries cause lost earning potential
Examples of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering, which describes the physical, emotional, and mental anguish caused by your injuries
- Loss of quality of life, which can include your inability to complete daily living tasks or participate in activities you enjoyed prior to your injury
- Loss of consortium, which compensates your spouse and immediate family for the loss of your companionship and services to the household
How to Protect Your Rights If You’ve Been Hurt in a Fall
If you are involved in a slip and fall accident in Hartford, there are several actions you can take to protect your rights and place yourself in the best position to obtain full compensation for your injuries and damages:
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible after your accident, so that you can identify your injuries and the treatment that will be necessary for them. Your medical records may be critical to show that your injuries were caused by the slip and fall and not by a preexisting condition or some subsequent accident.
- Take photographs of the accident scene, including whatever it was that caused your slip and fall, any warning signs, any obstructions to your view, and the lighting and weather conditions if applicable.
- Save the shoes and clothing you were wearing when the accident happened, and don’t wash them. There could be traces of substances on them that could be important evidence about the cause of the fall.
- Get contact information for the property owner, business owner, and their insurer and risk manager and obtain important information or evidence from them, such as an accident or incident report or any surveillance video of your accident.
- Talk to a slip and fall attorney. You have limited time in which to file a legal claim for your injuries, and evidence important to your claim may be quickly lost. Working with an experienced slip and fall attorney will give you the best chance of achieving a successful outcome to your claim.
Talk to a Hartford Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer for Free Now
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident in Hartford, don’t hesitate to begin the process of seeking the financial compensation you deserve for your losses. Contact our Hartford slip and fall accident attorneys today for a free consultation to discuss your case and learn more about the kinds of compensation you may be entitled to.
