Slip, Trip and Fall Accidents
Our law firm takes every case seriously
Accidents involving slips, trips and falls – usually called slip-and-fall accidents in the legal community – fall under the general category of premises liability. While falls may seem like an everyday occurrence, they can lead to significant injuries, including broken bones and damage to the back, neck and spine. Even more minor injuries, such as sprains, can have a significant impact on your ability to work and care for your family. Elderly people and children are particularly vulnerable to being hurt in slip-and-fall accidents.
In most cases, the owner or caretaker of the property on which you were hurt can be held legally liable for the accident. Slips, trips and falls can happen nearly anywhere.
How Did You Get Hurt?
Here are some of the slip-and-fall cases we handle at Ardalan & Associates, PLC (click on the links below for more information):
- Fell at a Department Store
- Hurt at an Apartment Complex
- Slipped on a Sidewalk
- Tripped in a Parking Lot
- Slipped on a Wet or Uneven Surface
- Fell Because of Poor Lighting
Depending on the location and circumstances of your accident, you may be entitled to compensation from the property owner’s homeowners insurance or business liability insurance. Unfortunately, those insurance companies represent the property owner, not you. They may see you as an opportunity to save money, and consequently look for reasons to reduce or deny your claim. While you’re still recovering from your injury, the situation may seem hopeless.
With an experienced Woodland Hills slip and fall accident lawyer on your side, you have hope.
Our legal team will help you get back up
From the moment you walk through our doors, our legal team will start priming your slip-and-fall case for victory in court. We’ll listen to your story and prepare to present it as our own, both in negotiations and before a jury. Insurance companies know that when we take a case, we’re committed to seeing it through – and we’ll never hesitate to take it to trial. Our goal is to hold the property owner accountable for the danger on their premises and, more importantly, get you the compensation you need to keep moving forward.
If you or a loved one was hurt in a slip-and-fall accident, come to the firm other attorneys trust to handle their largest, most difficult cases. Contact us today to schedule your free case evaluation.
With the amount of foot traffic that passes in and out of department stores on a daily basis, trip and slip hazards can appear at a moment’s notice. The store has a responsibility to keep the premises clear of errant floor mats, cords, spilled liquids and other hazards; when owners become lax in their cleanup of those issues, they can be held liable for claims. Occasionally, the store owner even creates an unsafe condition – for instance, by using overly slippery floor wax.
In order to collect compensation in a personal injury case involving a fall at a department store, you’ll need to show that the store knew of the condition or had enough time to become aware of its presence. The “open and obvious” defense can be used if, for instance, you tripped over a large and clearly visible display. Our attorneys will help you prove that you were reasonably cautious during your trip to the store and that your injuries were the store’s responsibility.
Hurt at an Apartment Complex
Apartment complexes and other large residential buildings frequently have fall hazards emerge because of the volume of people coming and going. Liability for such injuries can change depending on the location of an accident. For instance, if you were hurt inside an apartment, the tenant occupying that apartment may be held responsible. If you fell in a hallway or other common area, responsibility for that injury likely falls on the building’s owner or property manager.
Injury cases involving apartment complexes can be challenging due to the relationship between the injured person and responsible party. For instance, if you were hurt while visiting a friend’s apartment, you may be hesitant to file a personal injury claim. It’s important to remember that you’re simply asking your friend’s renters insurance for coverage that they’re paid to provide. At Ardalan & Associates, we handle these types of cases with appropriate care and compassion.
Injured at a Grocery Store
Grocery stores have multiple potential hazards due to the nature of their business and merchandise. Liquids such as water, juice and milk can be spilled on floors, creating slip hazards. A floor mat, cord from a vacuum cleaner or dropped product could cause you to trip. Even an errant shopping cart could be involved in an accident on the premises.
Whether you were hurt at a local grocery store or a major chain, you should be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Our attorneys will investigate the circumstances surrounding your slip-and-fall accident and help you file a premises liability claim against the store. We know the arguments liability insurance companies will make, and we know how to counter them and help make you whole again.
Slipped on a Sidewalk
Depending on the local laws in your area, accidents taking place on a sidewalk may be the responsibility of the municipal government or the owner of the property immediately adjacent to the sidewalk. You may have tripped on a broken sidewalk or fallen over a hazard that should have been cleared.
Slip-and-fall accidents involving sidewalks can be complicated and difficult to litigate, with strict deadlines and procedures for filing paperwork that need to be followed exactly. You need an experienced attorney on your side to make sure your case is handled properly. Call Ardalan & Associates today for a free consultation.
Tripped in a Parking Lot
Parking lots are prone to cracking due to weather conditions, wear and tear, and shifting of the earth underneath. Debris and oil may be spilled on the asphalt, creating a trip or slip hazard. Weather conditions such as rain can also contribute to the danger – and because parking lots need to accommodate both vehicles and pedestrians, visibility may be limited. Any pedestrian needs to divide his or her attention between the ground and oncoming vehicles.
At Ardalan & Associates, we’ll take all of these factors into account when we argue your case in negotiations and at trial. Our goal is to make our community safer by holding negligent property owners accountable, and that includes properly maintaining their parking lots. Contact us today to discuss the specifics of your case.
Slipped on a Wet or Uneven Surface
Wet and uneven surfaces contribute to many injuries, particularly in outdoor locations on rainy days and in businesses such as convenience stores that carry liquid merchandise. Uneven surfaces are especially likely to cause injuries because they’re not always obviously visible. If a surface was uneven or otherwise unsafe due to the property owner’s negligence, you may have a case.
It can be somewhat difficult to recover damages after a fall on a wet or uneven surface. The property owner may argue that they had no way of knowing of the danger, or that it was obvious enough for you to avoid. At Ardalan & Associates, we’ll stand up for you after a fall. Our attorneys will thoroughly investigate the scene of the accident and get all the evidence we need to prove that the property owner was responsible for your injuries.
Fell Because of Poor Lighting
Poor lighting can make any building more dangerous, especially one with narrow corridors or otherwise innately hazardous conditions. A trip hazard that would be easily avoidable with good lighting can become dangerous in low light. Stairways and stairwells become especially dangerous without enough light to adequately navigate them. If your fall happened in a building with broken lights, fault for the accident likely rests on the property owner who failed to maintain those lights.
Personal injury cases involving poor lighting are highly evidence-driven. That’s why you need to contact Ardalan & Associates as soon as possible after your fall. Our legal team will listen to your story and carefully investigate the accident site in order to prove that the lighting was inadequate. We’ll take every reasonable step to see your case through, all the way to trial.
