Should You Hire a Lawyer for Your San Antonio Slip and Fall Case?
“Slip and fall” doesn’t sound too serious. Most of us have slipped on a web surface or tripped on a child’s toy in the grass at some point. Usually, we stand up and shake it off, more self-conscious than hurt. But, slip and fall injuries send about one million people in the United States to hospital emergency rooms each year.
Thousands of people die each year of fall-related injuries. Older people are at greater risk of serious injury or death from a fall, but anyone can sustain broken bones, a head injury, or other serious harm in a fall.
Who is Responsible for Fall Injuries?
If you’ve been injured in a San Antonio slip and fall or trip and fall, you probably want to know if someone else may be responsible for your medical bills and other losses. Generally, someone is responsible for damages if their negligence caused or significantly contributed to the injury.
For example, imagine that you’re shopping in a San Antonio grocery store. As you turn the corner into an aisle, you step onto a slick surface, fall, and hit your head on the shelf. It turns out the floor was slippery because a bottle of laundry detergent has been leaking and dripping onto the floor.
If store employees knew about the problem and didn’t take steps to protect shoppers, the store is likely responsible. They may be responsible even if they didn’t know, since they have a responsibility to keep the premises reasonably safe for shoppers.
But, the analysis isn’t always simple. There may be other possible responsible parties, such as a vendor who stocked the product on the shelf even though it was leaking. And, the store may not be responsible if the leak had just started and no one could reasonably have been expected to discover it and fix the problem before the injury occurred.
An experienced San Antonio personal injury attorney can work with you to identify possible responsible parties and investigate to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.
Damages in a San Antonio Slip and Fall Case
Every personal injury case is different, and no attorney will be able to tell you exactly what your case is worth. But, a seasoned slip and fall lawyer will be able to tell you more about the possible value of your claim, and the types of damages you may be entitled to. Some of the most common damages awarded in Texas slip and fall cases include:
- Medical expenses–both those already incurred and anticipated future costs
- Lost wages during your recovery
- Any anticipated decrease in future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and other intangibles
The best way to get more information about the possible damages in your case is to schedule a free consultation with an experienced local personal injury lawyer. At George Salinas Injury Lawyers, we help victims of slip and fall accidents and other injuries get the compensation they need to rebuild. To learn more, just give us a call or click in the lower right-hand corner of this page to chat.
What if I’m Offered a Slip and Fall Settlement?
One reason people who have been injured don’t always seek out legal help is that the insurance company for the San Antonio business or individual responsible for the injury may offer a quick settlement. When you’re recovering from an injury or trying to put your life back in order after the loss of a loved one, a settlement offer may be very tempting. You may be struggling to keep the bills paid while you recover, and watching medical bills pile up.
But, it’s important to understand what accepting a settlement means. Once you sign, you are generally precluded from seeking further compensation. That means if you accept a $50,000 settlement and later $100,000 surgery, you’re on your own.
You should also be aware that every settlement or verdict an insurance company pays out cuts into its profits. That means the company has an incentive to make a low offer, and to hope you accept it before you learn the full extent of your damages. An experienced San Antonio slip and fall attorney will know what types of damages you may be entitled to, how insurance companies have settled similar cases in the area, and even how San Antonio juries typically view cases like yours. That makes it much more difficult for an insurance company to slip through a lowball settlement offer that may.
Get the Help You Need Today
When you’ve been injured, the last thing you need is the stress of negotiating with insurance companies and trying to guess at whether the settlement they’re offering is fair. You may also be unprepared for shady insurance company tactics. The right lawyer can be your best defense.
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