Atlanta Slip & Fall Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one was injured because of a hazard on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. However, recovering damages after a slip & fall accident can be complicated, and most often requires the assistance of a qualified slip and fall injury attorney in Atlanta to recover all the compensation to which you are entitled. Contact Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC, to learn more about your right to obtain a settlement or court award for your damages.

Why Choose Us as Your Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyers In Atlanta?

At Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC, our specialized team of Atlanta personal injury attorneys help those who have been injured in slip & fall accidents recover the compensation they deserve. Call us today at (404) 996-1296 to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced slip & fall accident attorney in Atlanta. Our Atlanta slip and fall injury lawyers charge no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Meet the Atlanta Attorneys at Piasta Walker Hagenbush

 

How an Atlanta Slip and Fall Attorney Can Help Your Case

As the plaintiff in the case, the injury victim has the burden of evidence proving the at-fault party’s liability. In a slip-and-fall accident case, an attorney typically does the following:

• Conducts an independent investigation by examining photo and video evidence, deposing eyewitnesses, and visiting the scene of the accident
• Carefully calculates the damages by reviewing the medical report and consulting with medical experts and vocational specialists about the impact of the injury on your earning ability and daily routines
• Sends their findings to the insurance company
• Negotiates with the insurance adjuster to achieve the largest possible settlement for your damages
• Obtains your compensation through a settlement or files a petition for court if the insurance company does not provide an acceptable settlement
• Argues your case in court with a well-executed strategy to obtain a positive jury verdict and a court award for your damages

More than 90% of slip-and-fall accident cases end with settlements, but a trial-ready attorney from Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC, prepares every case for the possibility of court throughout the process.

What Damages Can You Recover From an Atlanta Slip and Fall Injury Case?

Injuries such as back and neck injuries, fractures, and traumatic brain injuries from slip-and-fall accidents are painful and sometimes temporarily or even permanently debilitating. If a property owner’s negligence caused the fall, the injury victim has the right to file a lawsuit. Typically, this begins as a claim against the owner’s property liability insurance, but may go to trial if the insurer fails to offer an acceptable settlement. Typical settlements include compensation for damages such as the following:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Out-of-pocket costs
• Past and future income loss
• Reduced future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Catastrophic injury damages, if any apply, such as for disfigurement, permanent disability, chronic pain, or the loss of one of the senses

If a slip-and-fall accident causes fatal injury, the family may recover compensation for their losses through a wrongful death case in Atlanta, GA.

How Is Liability Determined in an Atlanta Slip and Fall Accident?

Slip & fall accidents are the most common type of premises liability claims in Atlanta. Premises liability law involves the legal responsibility of property owners and occupiers for injuries sustained by persons visiting their property.

Slip & fall accident victims sometimes blame themselves for the accident. But actual liability often falls with property owners, managers, or others who neglected their legal duty to keep their property safe for those who visit.

Those who own, occupy, and manage property in Georgia have a legal duty to keep their property in a reasonably safe condition. If a property owner knew or should have known about a hazardous condition that caused you to fall and be injured, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages and income, pain and suffering, and more. Speak with an Atlanta premises liability lawyer to find out if you can receive compensation for your slip and fall injury claim.

What Evidence Is Needed In a Slip-and-Fall Injury Claim In Atlanta?

Under Georgia’s fault-based accident law, it takes clear and concise evidence to prove the property owner’s liability and the injury victim’s damages to make a successful slip-and-fall claim. The property owner’s insurance company will assign an adjuster to the case and conduct an investigation. Unfortunately, their goal to protect the company’s profits directly conflicts with your objective to obtain the maximum compensation available to you for your financial losses, pain, and suffering. Your attorney will compile evidence such as the following:

• Maintenance and repair records
• History of previous complaints or falls
• Photo and video evidence
• Eyewitness testimony
• Your medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses related to the injury
• Employer statements showing your lost work days and how your injury impedes your ability to work at the former capacity
• Testimony from medical experts and occupational specialists

An experienced law firm has access to medical experts and other key resources to help provide the supporting evidence your case needs for a compelling claim.

Proving Liability In an Atlanta Slip-and-Fall Accident Claim

Once your Atlanta slip-and-fall attorney from Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC determines that a property owner or leaseholder’s negligence caused the accident, they must compile strong evidence showing that the at-fault party meets the following legal standards of liability in premises accident cases:

• The property owner owed a duty of care to the victim (because the injured victim was lawfully on the property and not trespassing or committing a crime)
• They breached their duty of care through negligence
• The breach of duty directly caused the victim’s slip-and-fall injury 
• The injury victim suffered damages from the injury

Damages in Atlanta slip-and-fall cases include the financial impacts of the injury as well as the physical pain and suffering.

Common Causes of Slip-and-Fall Accidents In Atlanta

Atlanta residents are active and productive, often in and out of multiple properties each day while going to work, grabbing lunch and coffee, running errands, and attending events. While we’d like to think that all commercial property owners who want our business uphold their legal obligation to maintain their property in reasonably safe condition, sometimes property owners or managers neglect repairs, don’t make regular inspections, or fail to promptly address wet floors. The most common causes of slip-and-fall injuries in Atlanta claims include the following:

• Wet floors from spills, leaks, mopping, or tracked-in rain and snow
• Slick floors from improper cleaning products
• Loose or rolled carpets and floor mats
• Spilled dry goods, like rice or cereal 
• Cracked or uneven floorboards
• Cracked or broken sidewalks and walkways
• Wet or icy steps
• Loose gravel or debris in parking lots
• Inadequate lighting
• Unmarked floor level changes (step-ups or step-downs)
• Uneven stair risers

All of the above causes of slip-and-fall accidents in Atlanta or elsewhere in Georgia constitute legal negligence, leaving the property owner or manager liable for damages if they knew that the hazardous condition existed or should reasonably have known.

Common Locations for Slip-and-Fall Injury Claims In Atlanta

All property owners must keep their property in reasonably safe condition for anyone who enters legally, including delivery workers and repair persons. Commercial property owners have an enhanced duty of care to customers, patrons, tenants, and attendees—those they welcome onto their properties for business purposes (invitees). The most common locations for slip-and-fall accident claims in Atlanta include the following:

• Grocery stores, such as Publix or Kroger
• Retail clothing stores
• Restaurants and cafes
• Bars, clubs, and pubs
• Offices and workplaces
• Gas stations
• Apartment complexes
• Hotels
• Malls, such as Lenox Square or Cumberland Mall
• Bus stops
• Train platforms
• City parks and community centers
• Hospitals

In most cases, a property owner is liable for the damages an injury victim faces after a slip-and-fall accident, but in some cases, a store manager or a public entity, such as a city park service, may be liable.

Common Slip and Fall Injuries

Slip & fall accidents are extremely common. They can happen virtually anywhere, including on an icy sidewalk or parking lot, broken floorboards, uneven stairs, a poorly lit walkway, an improperly tacked down carpet, or debris or liquid on the floor.

Many slip & fall accident victims suffer serious, life-altering injuries. Common slip & fall injuries include:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Broken limbs
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Knee injuries
• Hip fractures
• Cuts and lacerations

Injuries are traumatic and painful. When a slip-and-fall accident causes more than just temporary embarrassment and instead leaves you injured, the stress often continues long after the accident due to the common impacts of an injury on all aspects of life.

Understanding the Financial Impacts of an Atlanta Slip and Fall Accident

A sudden injury feels like the rug was pulled out from under your life, with consequences that range from mild and temporary to severe and permanent. Slip-and-fall injuries are expensive to treat, especially when they require emergency room treatment, often followed by medical procedures, surgery, medications, follow-up appointments, and rehabilitative therapy. Serious injuries, such as hip fractures in the elderly, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord trauma, can cause lifelong consequences with impacts on all aspects of life. Injuries become costly and painful when medical bills pile up, while the injuries prevent a prompt return to work and make it difficult to perform regular daily routines and responsibilities.

While a successful slip-and-fall accident claim doesn’t erase the injury, it addresses the financial consequences to the victim and provides a sense of justice through financial accountability.

What to do After a Slip and Fall Injury in Atlanta

1. Seek Immediate Medical Attention

After being injured in a slip & fall accident, it is imperative that you seek immediate medical attention for any injuries you may have sustained.

2. Have an Accident Report Made

Have the property owner or manager make an accident report to officially document the accident and your version of what happened. Then, be sure to get a copy of the report.

3. Take Photographs

Photograph the area where you fell, including the specific condition or defect that caused your fall unless your injuries prevent you from doing so.

4. Get Witness Information

If there are any witnesses to your fall, be sure to get their names and contact information.

5. Contact an Attorney

Contact an experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney to assist you with protecting your right to be compensated for your damages.

What is the Statute of Limitations for a Slip and Fall Lawsuit in Georgia?

There are many factors to consider when handling a premises liability claim. Especially, whether the property owner had prior notice of the hazardous condition that caused you to be injured, and if you fell on government property.

There are also strict time limits for filing a slip & fall lawsuit in Georgia. The law generally requires that you file a lawsuit within two years of the date of the accident. But if you intend on filing a lawsuit against a government entity, you may have as little as 90 days to file a notice of your intent to sue.

It is, therefore, essential to have an experienced Atlanta slip and fall injury lawyer on your side helping to preserve your right to file a lawsuit and assisting you with navigating the personal injury claims process in Atlanta.

Call an Atlanta Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer at Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC

If you or someone you care about was injured in an Atlanta slip & fall accident, get the help you need. Call Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC at (404) 996-1296 to talk with an experienced Atlanta slip & fall accident attorney or contact us online. We offer a free consultation and charge no legal fee unless we win your claim.