Usually, property owners are expected to keep their premises safe for all visitors. So, if you slip or fall and sustain injuries on another person’s property, you can claim compensation for the damages and losses sustained. Though it may sound very easy, proving negligence is a hard nut to crack in a legal suit. The chances of receiving fair compensation become easier if you work with a professional lawyer dealing with such cases.
According to an article published in Forbes, to win a fair compensation case, you should prove that the owner of the property was negligent or failed to provide adequate care.
You can get the best compensation for medical expenses provided you work with a legal expert.
Proving the owner’s negligence
Most personal injury cases require that you prove that the other party was negligent in some way. If the property owner knew about the risk that led to an injury and did not take any prior action, you can win fair compensation. In this regard, a slip or fall case will be as:
- Proving that the other party was indifferent to the hazards.
- An amusement park’s manager did not inspect the property regularly for damaged handrails, loose asphalt, and other possible risks that led to a severe fall and injury.
- An apartment owner knew about torn carpeting in the hall, however, did not repair it as it would be very expensive.
- The office floor manager failed to install wet floor signage during the rainy days when traffic via the lobby made floors damp and very slippery.
- A manager of a retail store leaves products on the floor between aisles knowing that it would lead to trips and falls.
- A customer drops a wine bottle on the floor of a store. The spill was reported on time, however, the manager failed to take action for cleaning the floor.
Where the accident occurred
Where an accident occurs or you are hurt after falling could make an impact on your claim because various property owners have diverse legal responsibilities to numerous visitors. These are:
Invitees:
Invitees are on the owner’s property as were invited. Clients, customers, and other associates of a business come under this category. The owner is legally accountable for the safety of these visitors to protect them from hazards and injuries.
Licensees:
These individuals are on the property for their benefit as guests. The same accountability exists on part of the owner.
Bare licensees:
These individuals are on the property for their own purpose and with no consent from the owner. A door salesman is an example. The property owner has the responsibility to stop them from deliberately doing something that may cause damage or injury.
Trespassers:
Trespassers invade private property without an owner’s consent. Except for kids, the owner does not have any legal accountability to protect trespassers from injuries.
Conclusion
Slip or fall cases are way more complex than you knew all this time. However, if you are severely injured after a fall, you can prove the owner’s negligence and win fair compensation with the help of an injury lawyer.
