Arcadia Slip and Fall Attorneys

Whether it’s at a restaurant, the local grocery store, or in the office, slip and fall accidents happen every day. The culprit may be a wet floor, cluttered hallway, or dangling cords—hazards that the property owner or tenant has a responsibility to remove to ensure their guests or employees are not in danger. If you sustained a serious injury due to a fall, you may be able to recover compensation for what you’ve lost. Our Arcadia slip and fall attorneys are here to help.  At HPIL, we have a track record of success, obtaining more than $300 million in settlements and verdicts for personal injury victims across California. To find out how we could help you, call us today at 1-800-GO-HARRIS.

What Evidence Could Help Prove My Slip and Fall Claim?

Every slip and fall case is unique. As such, the kinds of evidence your attorney may use to prove your claim will vary based on the circumstances surrounding your fall. How were you hurt? Was it a wet floor? Cluttered hallway? Loose stair tread? Poorly lit area? How severe are your injuries? What impact has your condition had on your everyday life? The answers to these questions can drastically change the shape of your attorney’s investigation. Let’s look at a few types of evidence that could help you prove your claim: 

• Surveillance Camera Footage: While eyewitnesses can be discredited, maintenance reports altered, and hazards cleared, video footage of the accident taking place is difficult to disprove. As such, if you noticed any CCTV cameras on the owner’s property, you should share this information with your attorney who can take steps to obtain this footage before it is erased.

• Maintenance Reports: Property owners owe a duty to use reasonable care to maintain any property under their control. As part of this responsibility, they should take steps to clear any hazards that could pose a slip-and-fall risk to guests. Maintenance reports showing that the owner or occupant was aware of potential hazards on their property and/or accidents due to these hazards, but did not take steps to protect their guests, could help prove that the owner or occupant is liable for your damages.

• Photographs of the Dangerous Condition That Caused Your Fall: Whether it was a slippery floor, unsecured electrical cord, or broken stair, you should take a moment to photograph the hazard that caused your injuries. There’s a chance that the property owner or occupant will repair or remove the dangerous condition after your fall. The pictures you’ve taken can help prove the existence of the hazard. If it’s clear the liable party attempted to cover up signs of their negligence, you may be able to pursue punitive damages.

• Eyewitness Deposition: If anyone saw you fall, their deposition or testimony could help you prove liability, causation, and damages. You should take down their statements and contact details to share with your attorney who may want to interview any eyewitnesses to determine whether their deposition could help corroborate your version of events.

• Deposition from Tenants: If tenants on the property were aware of the dangerous condition, they could provide deposition regarding how long these hazards have existed on the property.

How Can I Strengthen My Slip and Fall Accident Claim?

Once your attorney has had an opportunity to evaluate the facts of the case, he or she can discuss specific strategies for building a convincing claim. Your lawyer may also give you some general strategies to help protect your claim and reduce the chances of facing disputes. Let’s explore a few steps they may ask you to take:

• Deactivate Your Social Media Profiles: More and more conversations are taking place online on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As such, it’s only natural to take to social media in the aftermath of a serious accident. After all, slip and falls can be incredibly traumatic, and many victims need guidance and emotional support. However, if you are pursuing a personal injury claim, your posts could compromise your case. Many insurers now monitor claimants’ social media activity as part of their claims investigations. Comments you make about the accident, pictures you post, and even your “check ins” could be used as evidence to challenge your case. For instance, if your status updates show you jumping from park to pub to poolside just a few days after the accident, the insurance adjuster might argue that you are not taking your recovery seriously. Our attorneys will likely advise you to disable your social media accounts until your claim is resolved.

• Start a Personal Injury Journal: Your recovery may take weeks, months, or even years. Committing every moment of this grueling journey to memory is an impossible task. As such, you may want to start a personal injury journal to track your pain levels, keep tabs on your limitations, and note down medication side effects. This journal can help paint a picture of how your injuries have affected your life, and your attorney may use your entries to build a case for non-economic damages such as loss of enjoyment, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.

• Do Not Communicate with the Insurance Company Directly: If the insurer reaches out to you for a recorded statement, you should refer them to your attorney. These interviews are often designed to elicit responses that could be used to dispute liability and damages. By letting your attorney handle all correspondence with the insurance company and opposing parties, you won’t have to worry about saying something that could affect the outcome of your claim.

Connect with a Slip and Fall Attorney in Arcadia Today

Whether you’ve incurred thousands of dollars in medical expenses, or you’re experiencing unbearable pain, suffering an injury in a slip and fall accident is downright miserable. While a personal injury settlement cannot erase the suffering you’ve endured, it can give you and your family the funds to move on with your lives. Call us today at 1-800-GO-HARRIS or click HERE to schedule a free case assessment.