Mesothelioma

Did you know that if you slip and fall on someone else’s property and suffer serious injuries, you might be able to seek compensation from the property owners? Thousands of people are injured every year through slip and fall accidents, often without realizing they are eligible to be compensated for their medical bills and other losses.

Whether you slip and fall on someone else’s private property, in a store, in a building, or any other property, the owner of that property may be liable for your injuries if he or she is found negligent. For example, the owner or manager of a grocery store may be found negligent if the store failed to put up signs indicating the floor was wet, and you slipped.

To find out if you qualify to seek compensation for your slip and fall injuries, contact a San Diego personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of Melinda Helbock, A.P.C. today.

Premises Liability Injuries

According to the Centers for Disease Control 20 to 30 percent of those who fall receive moderate to severe injuries, including:

• Head trauma
• Hip fractures
• Lacerations

Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury. In fact, in 2000, traumatic brain injury was the cause of 46 percent of fatal falls among older adults.

Falls are also the cause of most fractures among older adults. The most common fractures are of the:

• Ankle
• Forearm
• Hand
• Hip
• Leg
• Pelvis
• Spine
• Upper arm

The law regarding premises liability describes what legal responsibility a landowner or property occupier has for injuries or accidents that occur on the property. Someone can file a premises liability claim for a number of reasons, including:

• Being injured while using equipment on someone else’s property
• Being injured by another person on someone’s property and it can be shown the property owner failed to provide adequate security (e.g. poorly lit parking garage)
• Slipping and falling because of hazards such as a wet or slick floor, a torn rug or carpet, etc.
• Something falling off a shelf and hitting a person on the head

The legal status of the visitor is also important for determining premises liability. In general, four types of status may be assigned to the visitor:

• Invitee
• Licensee
• Social guest
• Trespasser

A trespasser is unlikely to be compensated for being injured on the property of another person.

Premises liability also depends on whether the property owner made a reasonable effort to provide for the safety of the guest. Did the owner clear obstacles and hazards in a reasonable manner? Did the property owner warn a guest that a hazard existed?

In addition, to being compensated for injury due to a hazard, you might need to show that the owner knew the hazard existed and had time to mitigate it.

To find out if you have a claim, contact The Law Office of Melinda J. Helbock, A.P.C. to speak with an experienced slip and fall accident attorney.