Slip and fall accidents are some of the most common causes of injuries. When a property owner or business in Roswell isn’t careful about slippery floors, accidents can happen. A simple slip and fall can cause costly medical bills, missed work time, and more.
If you were hurt in a slip and fall caused by slippery floors, call a Roswell lawyer. You’ll need to know your legal options. If you were not at fault, you might deserve full compensation for your costs. Businesses should be held accountable for their failed duty to keep you safe.
At John Foy & Associates, we can help. Our skilled premises liability lawyers have over 20 years of experience. We can discuss your injuries and legal options during a FREE consultation.
Get started today by calling (404) 400-4000 or contacting us online.
How Slip and Falls on Slippery Floors Happen
A customer or visitor might slip and fall for many reasons. Slippery floors are one of the most common causes of these accidents. Here are the top risk factors for slips, trips, and falls, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH):
- Spills where people walk, causing slippery walkways
- Rain, ice, or snow outside of the property or tracked onto the floors
- Poor lighting that makes it difficult to see hazards
- Loose rugs or mats that can cause trip and falls
- Walkway areas that are in great need of repair
- Containers or boxes that can cause obstructions
Mopping is also a common hazard for slip and fall accidents. If an employee is mopping or waxing floors, they should provide enough warning. The company must put out a “wet floor” warning sign for customers. Otherwise, someone might fall if they don’t know the floor is slippery.
Other causes of slippery floors include:
- Spilled food or beverage items
- Water leaks
- Grocery items falling from the aisles
- Spilled liquid items from customers or visitors
Property owners and businesses must watch for potentially harmful hazards. If a slippery floor causes a slip and fall, the company could be liable for the damages.
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Liability for a Slip and Fall on Slippery Floors
All owners and occupiers must maintain safe “premises and approaches,” according to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §51-3-1. That duty includes:
- Watching for potential slip and fall hazards
- Cleaning up or fixing risks within a reasonable amount of time
- Blocking off or warning about a danger if the owner or business cannot immediately fix it
Risky situations can come up at any time. While a business cannot know about every risk immediately, employees should watch carefully for potential hazards. They should fix the situation as soon as reasonably possible.
Proving Responsibility for the Accident
If you were hurt in a slip and fall, you might have a premises liability case. You can seek compensation from the property owner or business through an insurance claim or lawsuit. Before you can do that, you’ll need to build your claim.
A premises liability claim must prove that:
- The owner or business owed you a duty of care
- The owner or company failed in their duty of care
- The failed duty caused your slip and fall accident
- You suffered injuries from the accident
If a slip and fall happened because of slippery floors, you’ll need to gather evidence. Businesses often deny liability after someone blames them for a fall. The business will blame the victim or say that they should have been more careful.
A strong injury claim will help support your rights. It’s also best if you contact a Roswell slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible. At John Foy & Associates, our lawyers know how to build strong cases and protect your rights.
Learn more about what we can do for you and your compensation rights. Call us at (404) 400-4000 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall on Slippery Floors
After you fall, there are ways you can start building your case immediately.
Slippery floors are usually easy to clean up, and the business might try to hide them quickly. To prevent that from happening, document the scene as fully as possible by:
- Taking pictures of the slippery floors that caused your fall
- Photographing your injuries and the entire accident scene
- Getting the contact information for any eyewitnesses to your fall or the slippery floors
Report the slip and fall to the property owner or business manager. The company will need to know that you fell and were injured. However, avoid apologizing or discussing any fault for the accident. You don’t want the owner or their insurance company to use something you’ve said against you.
Also, see a doctor as soon as you can. Even if you feel alright, you will need records of medical attention. A doctor appointment can help by:
- Making sure you know the full extent of your injuries, and
- Providing the insurance company with a record of your treatment
Insurance companies will look for proof when they receive an injury claim. If the insurance company doesn’t have records of your injuries and damages, it will be challenging to get what you deserve.
Documenting Your Slip and Fall Damages
Any losses you have from your injuries are your personal injury damages. You’ll need to outline these damages in your claim and provide a dollar amount for compensation. It’s important to be as specific as possible when listing damages like:
- Doctor bills, hospital bills, medications, and other costs of your treatment
- Expected future medical expenses
- Lost wages from any work time you’ve had to miss
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Any property damage you have from the fall, such as damaged clothes or jewelry
- Pain and suffering, such as mental anguish or loss of enjoyment of life
Save all medical records and other documentation of your damages. Also, talk to an experienced lawyer about how the accident affects you. They will know how to calculate the full costs of your physical and emotional damages.
Talk to a Roswell Slippery Floors Accident Lawyer
Don’t let a slip and fall accident derail your life. Also, don’t let a business or insurance company undermine your rights. You can protect yourself starting today by talking to a Roswell slip and fall lawyer.
John Foy & Associates can provide the legal assistance you need. With over 20 years of experience, we know what it takes to win cases. Our founder is known as the “Strong Arm” because we don’t back down to the insurance companies.
Our lawyers only work on contingency, meaning you don’t pay until we win you compensation. To learn more during a FREE consultation, call (404) 400-4000 or contact us online.
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