Manchester Slip & Fall Attorney
A “slip and fall accident” or “trip and fall accident” describes a fall caused by someone else’s negligence that results in an injury. If the injured individual files a lawsuit to recover compensation for their losses, their case will likely turn on whether the property owner did something wrong that caused the harm.
Here, “negligence” means a failure to act with the level of care that a reasonably prudent person would have exercised under the circumstances. For example, suppose that milk is spilled in a grocery store. Instead of promptly cleaning it up, an employee decides to unpack a shipment of produce first. If a customer slips on the milk in the meantime and injures themselves, a court of law may find the employee was negligent in failing to address the hazardous situation in a timely manner.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall or Trip and Fall Injuries in Manchester
A slip and fall accident can happen virtually anywhere. While some injuries result only in minor injuries, others can be much more severe, or even fatal. If the injury was caused by the negligence of another person or party, the victim could be owed significant compensation.
The knowledgeable slip and fall attorneys of Kocian Law Group have successfully handled a wide variety of slip and fall and trip and fall cases. We are prepared to help you if you were hurt by:
- Uneven or Slick Flooring – Uneven flooring caused by tree roots or settling with old age, for example, can easily cause someone to take a fall. Additionally, unexpectedly slick flooring can cause a victim to slip and fall. Loose carpets, tiles, or other floor coverings are also a common fall hazard.
- Spills – Spilled liquid is an issue in many facilities, including grocery stores and restaurants. Liquids can pose a major threat if not promptly cleaned up or cornered off with a warning sign or hazard cones.
- Ice, Snow, or Rain – Icy, snowy, or wet steps or walkways can be hard to navigate without slipping. Snow or rain that has been tracked inside on someone else’s shoes can make flooring slippery.
- Poorly Maintained Stairways – Stairs that are old, poorly designed, negligently constructed, or not well maintained can break under an unsuspecting victim’s weight and cause a serious fall.
- Cluttered Aisles or Walkways – Cluttered stores that don’t have clear aisles and walkways pose a hazard to patrons.
- Broken Escalators or Elevators – Broken escalators or elevators can cause users to trip and fall.
How Our Manchester Slip and Fall Attorneys Can Help You
Proving a slip and fall case in court can be challenging. You must prove that the defendant owed you a duty of care, that by acting negligently, they breached that duty, and that you were injured as a result. You may also need to defend yourself against an assertion from the defense that you contributed to the accident in some way.
Our experienced Manchester slip and fall attorneys are here to take the burden off of your shoulders and advocate on your behalf. Let our experienced team fight for the compensation that you deserve.
Compensation Available After a Slip and Fall Accident
The amount of compensation that can be recovered from a slip and fall accident depends on the extent of the harm that was incurred. A few basic categories of compensatory damages are often available in Connecticut slip and fall cases, including:
- Medical bills (both past and future)
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Pain and suffering
In particularly egregious cases, the court may also decide to award punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are intended to restore the injured individual to the position they would have been in had the accident not occurred. Punitive damages are meant to punish the negligent defendant.
The availability of punitive damages varies from state to state, but in Connecticut, the court can award punitive damages, so long as there is no controlling statutory provision. In general, punitive damages are awarded in Connecticut “when the evidence shows a reckless indifference to the rights of others or an intentional or wanton violation of those rights.”
How to Protect Your Rights If You’ve Been Hurt in a Fall
Anyone hurt in a fall due to someone else’s negligence may be legally entitled to collect damages for their losses. However, this right to compensation must be protected.
The best way to safeguard your legal rights after a fall is through documentation. As soon as possible after the accident occurs, be sure you document your injuries and how you got injured as thoroughly as possible.
If you can, take photos and videos depicting the scene of the incident. If anyone witnessed your fall, take down their contact information and, if they agree, make a quick video of them explaining what they saw.
Keep a thorough record of everything relating to your treatment and recovery. Take care to keep copies of all medical bills, prescriptions, and health-related payment receipts.
Protect your right to compensation by seeking legal advice without delay. Connecticut has a statute of limitations (General Statutes of Connecticut Section 52-584) that puts a time limit on your ability to bring a claim.
Someone with a personal injury claim based on someone else’s negligent, reckless, or wanton misconduct must file their claim within two years from when the injury was sustained or discovered. There are a few narrow exceptions to this time limit, but anyone injured in a slip and fall accident can best protect their legal right to sue by seeking legal advice and filing a claim in a timely way.
Talk to a Manchester Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer Now
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident in Manchester, the Kocian Law Group is here to help. Our team of experienced slip and fall accident lawyers has decades of experience representing clients who have been injured due to someone else’s negligence.
We are ready to put that experience to work for you. Give our Manchester office a call, and we will set up a time to review your case and discuss your legal options. The initial consultation costs you nothing and comes free of any obligation.
