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Boston Slip & Fall Accident Lawyers
Slip accidents, trip accidents, and fall accidents can result in painful and debilitating injuries for the victims, who may end up with serious sprains, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, head injuries, bruises and bumps, or other painful injuries. These injuries can result in financial turmoil for the victims, and may necessitate legal action to remedy. In such cases, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Greater Boston Area firm of Altman & Altman LLP are here to help.
Our Massachusetts slip and fall attorneys have over 50 years of experience helping slip and fall injury victims from Boston and its surrounding neighborhoods obtain financial compensation from negligent parties. We know the most important step in securing compensation for our clients is to assess those at fault for the incident – either through negligent carelessness or more troubling incidents of gross negligence.
Slip and Fall Accidents can Happen Anywhere, at any Time Such as:
- In a supermarket, shopping mall or hotel
- In an office building, office park, lobby or building’s common area
- On any surface due to unnatural ice buildup
- On an area where an object was negligently left
- On a stairwell or defective stair
- On a person’s work premises
- Slip and fall accidents have different causes:
- Improper maintenance
- Inadequate lighting
- A missing step
- A damaged stair railing
- An area under construction without the proper warning signs
- A loose floorboard
- An uneven pavement
- Liquid or debris on a restaurant floor, store aisle, or inside a public bathroom
In certain cases, slip and fall cases fall under the area of premises liability law, which holds a premise owner or property manager responsible for making sure that there are no unsafe conditions on a property that could cause injury or death to a resident, visitor, worker, or patron. Our lawyers work with accident reconstruction experts who can prove that your injuries were caused by the inadequate conditions on another party’s premise. Visit our premises liability page for more information.
It is important that you contact our office soon after a slip and fall injury so that we can examine the accident site and identify any key evidence to begin establishing negligence. While a slip and fall accident may not sound as serious as other kinds of personal injury accidents, the pain, the medical expenses and recovery time can take a huge emotional and financial toll on the victim.
Our Boston-area slip and fall lawyers will examine your medical records and calculate the amount of your losses, which can include:
- Current and future medical costs
- Lost wages
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Pain and suffering, and other damages.
Altman & Altman is known throughout Massachusetts for our ability to successfully obtain substantial insurance settlements or case verdicts for our personal injury clients. We take great care to ease the burden on our clients, who should be more concerned with recovering from their injuries than fighting with insurance companies or negligent property owners. We craft tailored, individualized legal approaches to every case we take on to ensure the best possible outcomes for our clients.
To schedule your free consultation with an experienced Boston, Massachusetts slip and fall attorney at Altman & Altman LLP, call 617.492.3000, toll free at 800.481.6199 or contact us through our convenient online chat.
Slip and Fall Accident FAQs
What Must a Business do to Prevent Slip and Fall Accidents?
Answer: Businesses are responsible for providing safe conditions for their visitors. This includes ensuring that the property is maintained and that potential dangerous conditions on the property are addressed. Failure to do so can result in injuries ranging from minor scrapes and sprains to death.
Who is Responsible for a Slip and Fall Accident?
Answer: Property owners or property managers are responsible for ensuring that their property is maintained and reasonably safe for visitors under “premises liability.” People who could be held responsible for a slip and fall accident include property owners, homeowners, business owners, landlords, and others.
Under What Circumstances is a Property Owner Responsible for a Slip and Fall Accident?
Answer: If a property owner knew about or caused a danger, failed to warn patrons of a hazard, and the patron sustained injuries as a result of the fall caused by any of the above, then the property owner may be responsible for your accident. Consult an experienced attorney to discuss the details of your case to determine what damages you may be entitled to receive.
How do I Demonstrate That The Property Owner had Notice in a Slip and Fall Accident?
Answer: Slip and fall accidents can be difficult to prove. If you wrote the property manager to alert them to an issue in the building which caused your accident, then that written notification can be a key piece of evidence to illustrate that the owner was aware of an issue and either did not do enough to resolve the issue or ignored it. A slip and fall attorney will review your case and can help determine whether you are able to prove that the property owner was negligent.
How can I Prove my Fall was Caused by Negligence?
Answer: To recover damages for a slip and fall incident by a negligent property owner, you will need to prove that the owner was negligent. In order to do this, you must illustrate that the owner knew about or should have been aware of the hazard and failed to fix it. An experienced slip and fall attorney can assist in performing a full investigation of your accident to determine whether you have a claim.
Do Businesses Have to Remove Ice and Snow From Their Property?
Answer: Yes, businesses and all property owners are required to remove snow and ice to ensure that their property is safe. With that said, each city and town in Massachusetts has unique requirements for snow removal. These laws should be closely reviewed with an attorney to determine if your slip and fall was the result of the business acting negligently by failing to remove ice and snow from their property.
Can I Sue a Person That Invited me to Their Home if I Slip And Fall?
Answer: If you are able to show that the property owner’s negligence in maintaining a safe property caused your slip and fall accident, you may have a case in suing that individual for damages. Often, a lawsuit is filed against the homeowner’s insurance company rather than that person directly. In order to sue, you would need to prove that there was a dangerous condition on the property that caused your accident, that the owner was aware of the condition and did nothing to resolve it, and that you suffered injuries that were directly related to the fall.
Who can I Sue if I Slip and Fall on Public Property?
Answer: Under Premises Liability in Massachusetts, owners and residents of a property are responsible for accidents that occur on their property. As an injured party, you have the option of filing a claim against the property owner’s insurance carrier or filing a personal injury lawsuit and going to court.
What are the Factors That Affect a Slip and Fall Case?
Answer: In addition to the different factors that you need to consider to prove that your slip and fall accident was the result of negligent behavior by the property owner, other factors will impact the amount of compensation that you receive for the case. Most notably, the severity of your injuries can impact your case along with the length of time it took for you to recover and if you suffered permanent disability.
What are the Most Common Causes of a Slip and Fall Accident?
Answer: There are many different causes for slip and fall accidents. Some common causes include slipping while walking on wet surfaces, snow and ice, uneven flooring or pavement, poor lighting, and loose flooring and carpets.
What are the Most Common Types of Injuries Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents?
Answer: Common injuries can include concussions, neck/back/head injuries, broken bones, bruising, paralysis, traumatic brain injury, and in the worst cases, death.
Can I Receive Compensation From a Business Where I Was Injured?
Answer: Yes, you may be able to receive compensation from the business where you were injured. In order to do that however, you will need to prove that the business is liable for your accident. An experienced slip and fall attorney can assist you in reviewing the details of your accident and help determine if you have a case.
How Long Does it Take to Settle a Slip and Fall Accident?
Answer: The amount of time it takes to settle slip and fall accidents will vary depending upon the details of your accident and whether your case must go to court. Reviewing your case with an experienced slip and fall attorney will help provide more insight into how long your case may take to settle.
Where are Some of the Most Common Places to Slip and Fall?
Answer: Grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, office buildings, stairwells, private residences are all some examples of common places where slip and fall accidents occur.
What if I Slip and Fall at Work?
Answer: If you slip and fall at work and find yourself out of work for 5 or more days due to your injuries, then you are able to file a workers’ compensation claim through your company’s workers compensation insurer. In this instance, your company’s workers’ compensation insurer would pay your bills. Usually, your provider will submit their bills directly to the insurer on your behalf to pay.
How can a Building Code be Used in a Slip and Fall Case?
Answer: Building code violations, which could include handrail issues, uneven stairways, and ceiling disrepair, among other things, can cause slip and fall injuries. If you believe that your injury is a result of building code issues, be sure to quickly write down the details you remember from your fall while the incident is fresh in your memory. If there were any witnesses, gathering their statements will be helpful as well. Finally, contact an experienced slip and fall attorney to discuss the details of your case to determine whether a building code violation may have contributed to your accident.
Will I Have to go to Court?
Answer: Often, slip and fall accidents are settled out of court. In some instances, your case may go to court especially if you experienced severe injuries as a result of your fall. If your case goes to court, the “modified comparative negligence rule” will still be applicable. This means that any damages that are awarded to the slip and fall victim are reduced by the percentage of their fault. If a jury found you to be 15% at fault, then your damages would be reduced by 15%.
What Types of Damages are Covered by Slip and Fall Compensation?
Answer: Damages that are covered by slip and fall compensation can include: medical bills and treatments related to your injury, lost wages during the time you were unable to work, permanent disability and disfigurement, and emotional distress from the accident.