Most people have slipped and fallen at some point in their lives. These accidents can result in long-lasting injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of every five falls results in a serious injury, such as a broken bone or head injury. In fact, falls are the most common cause of brain trauma.
If your fall occurred on someone else’s property and injuries result, protections have been put in place to help you pay for your bills and time off of work. The CDC also reports that that roughly $50 billion each year is spent treating falls in the United States, with each hospital bill coming in at more than $30,000. The most staggering thing to consider, though, is that with proper diligence, most of these falls could be avoided in the first place.
If you are injured as a result of negligence, you have a right to seek legal representation and to seek compensation for your injuries and losses. The skilled and knowledgeable slip-and-fall accident attorneys at ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS specialize in personal injury law. What that means is that we have decades of legal experience successfully representing the injured slip-and-fall victims throughout the state of Arizona. We helped them and we can help you too. By meeting with the lawyers at ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS, you will gain insight into your injury accident, understand the legal process in order to get compensation, and have an experienced and skilled lawyer by your side to walk you through each element of the process up to and including trail should your situation warrant it.
ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS will work closely with you to collect, track, and monitor all evidence of liability. This means that we will take on the burden of collecting any surveillance footage of the fall, speaking to witnesses and gathering testimony, expert testimony may also be consulted. Additionally, researching a history of slip-and-falls on the property, taking photos of dangerous conditions, getting maintenance records of the property and collecting incident and police reports will all be covered by your team at ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS.
Common Locations of Slip-and-Fall Accidents in Arizona
Slip-and-fall accidents can occur anywhere but most commonly occur in or around a commercial property. In Phoenix and all the surrounding cities in Arizona, the most common place for a slip-and-fall accident to occur are in the following places:
- Gas stations
- Apartments
- Department or grocery stores
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Parking lots
- Sidewalks or uneven pavement
If you or someone you love has been injured in a slip and fall accident in Arizona that was not your fault, you may be entitled to pursue a personal injury lawusit to recover damages such as medical bills, rehabiliative care, damages, and pain and suffering. Contact an attorney at ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS today to discuss you injury accident to find our if you can file a claim.
Types of Injuries Most Commonly Suffered in Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Various injuries have been known to occur as a result of slip-and-fall accidents. We have represented clients with a wide array of injuries, including but not limited to:
- Broken bones
- Sprained ankles or wrists
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder dislocations
- Muscle strains
- Spine and nerve damage
- Traumatic brain injury
- Cuts and bruises
These are just a few of the injuries that can occur when someone slip and falls. If you have been the victim of a slip-and-fall accident that could have been prevented, call the lawyers at ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS today and protect your legal rights.
What to Do After a Slip-and-Fall Accident in Arizona
- Get medical attention – Whether or not you have immediate pain or visible injuries, it is important to get a medical evaluation this will ensure that you do not have any latent injuries that are a direct result of your accident.
- Report the accident immediately – Report the accident to both the police as well as to the entity or organization that owns the property where you fell. This documentation is critical to capturing your statement and establishing an official record of your injury.
- Be careful what you say after the accident – It is critical to never claim fault for the accident. You additionally do not want to imply or explicitly forgive or excuse the behavior of the organization.
- Get witness contact info and statements – Third-party and non-biased validation of your story will greatly support your claim. With credible witnesses that validate your account of the injury, you are closer to receiving the appropriate compensation for your injury.
- Take photos – Photographing the scene, your injuries, and any signage or markings in the area will create a clear picture of the scene for anyone reviewing your claim.
- Call a lawyer – With professional support, you have a team that will build a case and tells the story about what happened to you during the accident. This includes organizing medical records and bills, submitting your claim, and understanding an appropriate settlement amount so that you are not at risk to accept too low of a settlement—leaving you carrying the cost for an injury to which you were not at fault. See our slip and fall attorneys in these locations: Mesa & Chandler
The attorneys at ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS are ready and available to take your call at any time. When you call our office, you can expect to speak with a skilled attorney who specializes in slip-and-fall accidents that could have been prevented. We are waiting to take your call right now.
Causes of Slip-and-Fall Accidents in Mesa Arizona
Slip-and-fall accidents can happen for many reasons. While the most comment reason people think of is related to slippery floors resulting from a leak or recent cleaning, there are far more reasons that individuals may be at risk. The following falls classify under the category of slip-and-fall accidents and injuries in the Phoenix metropolitan area:
- Wet or uneven surfaces
- Cluttered floors
- Loose floorboards
- Defective sidewalks
- Potholes
- Poorly constructed staircases
- Torn carpeting
- Recently moped or waxed floors
Call the lawyers at ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS today to talk to a slip-and-fall lawyer who knows the laws in Arizona pertaining to slip-and-fall accidents. We have helped countless Arizonaians who have been injured in a fall that could have been prevented and we can help you too. Call us today.
Stages of a Slip-and-Fall Claim in Arizona
- Investigation – The investigation process begins when you sit down with a representative from ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS. During this interview, we will learn about you, your injury, and the immediate information surrounding your fall. Additionally, we will calculate information related to your medical bills and other associated injuries, all giving us a clear picture of the scope and magnitude of your injury.
- Insurance Claim – Making an official insurance claim means that you have written up your injury and have clear information pointing to the negligence of the property owners or businesses where you fell. This claim requests compensation and shares proof of responsibility to the insurance policy carried by the owner of the home or business. The insurance claim is important, as it informs you as to whether you will be able to collect financial resources if the ruling or settlement is in your favor. Your lawyer will draft and submit your claim on your behalf, ensuring that everything is accepted and appropriately filed.
- File a Complaint – Should the insurance company refuse your claim, or settlement conversations break down, your next step is to file a claim in local civil court. The good news is that most personal injury suits end in a settlement, as both the insurance company and claimant alike want to avoid the high cost, long process of sending a case to trial. However, should you need to file in court, our lawyers will also handle that for you.
- Discovery Phase – Consider the discovery phase much like the investigation phase; however, unlike the investigation state, in this portion of the process, your lawyer is investigating the other party, understanding any past lawsuits, and preparing to speak to their experts and/or witnesses.
- Pre-Trial Motions – Making a pretrial motion requests that the judge rule on a specific issue or question prior to the case appearing in court. These motions usually establish ground rules and an expectation on how the case will move forward once all parties are together in court, in person.
From here, one of three things is likely to happen. Your options are likely to include:
- Arbitration – Electing to go to arbitration means that instead of presenting before a judge and/or jury, the case will be reviewed by one person – an arbitrator. This individual will be responsible for hearing and ruling on the case, as well as determining an appropriate settlement that both parties are required to uphold.
- Mediation – Another alternative to trial, with mediation, both parties agree to sit down with an unbiased third party, or mediator. This person will work with both sides to negotiation, strategize, and agree to an acceptable resolution for the claim that should strike a balance as to what both sides are able to address but also feel meets their needs for resolution.
- Trial – Ultimately, as costly and stressful as a trial may be, it can be the only way some cases are resolved. Should this happen, the process of jury selection, presentation of both sides of the claim, and opportunity to question witnesses while a judge and or jury reviews and determines the case, as well as settlement, are all likely outcomes of a trial.
Why Work With A Lawyer From ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
Following an injury, especially when you are recovering or currently undergoing medical treatment, it is understandable to be overwhelmed, particularly if you believe or have evidence that there was no wrongdoing on your part. ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS has a reputation throughout Phoenix and Mesa as the best personal injury attorney law firm in the area. In fact, we only handle personal injury cases. Our bilingual attorneys understand the stress these trying times cause our clients, which motivates us to ensure you win your case even more. The core values of our organization were created to serve clients in need, just like you. We do our best – and we do not receive a penny unless you do.
Our initial consultation takes very little of your time; it will help us understand the specifics of your claim. We will explain the next steps and process from there, and we will give you an understanding of what we anticipate the outlook of your case to be. Best of all, you get to meet our lawyers and determine if we are the right fit for you. Click here to schedule.
Our Arizona slip and fall accident lawyers provide clients with the best legal representation available. Contact us today to get more information on how we can help you with your case.