At Wieand Law Firm, LLC, our trip and fall lawyer Philadelphia PA resident’s turn to has represented a large number of people who were injured in a trip and fall. Many of our clients were initially confused and frustrated with their situation, and some felt like giving up – that is until they consulted a trip and fall lawyer and Wieand Law Firm, LLC. For years, we have been recovering maximum damages for injured men, women, and children, and if you’ve been injured, we would like to do the same for you. Call our Philadelphia PA trip and fall lawyer today.
A common scenario is when a person trips and falls at a friends or family members house. Often the injured party is not comfortable filing a claim against their loved one because they fear that their relationship will be damaged. As a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania trip and fall lawyer might explain to you, generally, you will pursue compensation against the insurance company and not the owner.
Most people have property insurance that financially protects the landowner should an accident occur on their premises. Your friend or family member won’t have the responsibility of paying your bills, lost wages, and other losses. Rather, the insurance company should cover these costs.
Trip and fall accident cases can be extremely complicated, and when a case involves a trip and fall at a rental property, for example, the neighbors, it may take added skill of a Philadelphia PA trip and fall lawyer to recover damages. These types of cases tend to fall within premise liability laws. This means the property owner, landlord, or renter may be liable for injuries that occur. Depending on the lease agreement, the landlord or the renter may be responsible. It is certainly possible that a third party, such as a maintenance company or snow removal company, hired by the landlord, would be responsible. In a case like this, it is to talk with a trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for guidance.
Before you can recover compensation, your Philadelphia, PA trip and fall lawyer might determine, who, if anyone, can be held liable for your accident. It is possible that what happened to you was no one’s fault. In other words, the trip and fall happened due to factors that were beyond anyone’s control. In this case, you may be unable to hold anyone responsible. However, as our law firm will explain to you, many of these accidents involve at least one party who was negligent.
For example, let us say you were involved in a trip and fall at a grocery store. This store has a duty to its customers, and visitors, to ensure the premises are kept safe – with reason. This means they must inspect the premises on a frequent basis, and promptly repair any condition that could warrant an injury. At the minimum, and if a condition cannot be rectified right away, a warning sign must be visibly posted. Unfortunately, businesses do not always adhere to their duties of care. When this happens, visitors of the premises can be prone to injury.
A trip and fall accident can result in any number of injuries. Some may be more obvious than others, but any injury sustained due to negligence can be cause for a case. If you have one of the following injuries due to negligence, contact Wieand Law Firm for a trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia, PA, as soon as possible.
A trip and fall can result in a broken bone in any number of places on your body, but the arms, hips, and ankles are most susceptible. Age or certain health conditions like osteoporosis may increase your chances of a broken bone, but it can happen to anyone. Depending on which bone was broken, you may need to undergo physical therapy, which can be expensive and result in lost wages.
Any cut or laceration is serious and can become infected if not treated right away. Depending on the seriousness of the injury, blood loss can also be a cause for immediate medical attention. Although a cut may appear superficial to you, if it is sustained because of a trip and fall, there may be more severe injuries that are not immediately visible.
There are a lot of ways the knee can be injured in a trip and fall, but common ways include twisting them or fracturing them. Any knee injury can become serious if not immediately addressed and can result in chronic pain. You may have trouble walking and have to take time off of work.
A concussion or other traumatic brain injury as the result of a trip and fall can have an immediate effect on your life. Concussion symptoms include a persistent headache, nausea or vomiting, and struggling to walk straight or speak clearly. In most cases, a concussion will eventually go away on its own in a short period of time ranging from days to months depending on the severity. For some people, concussion symptoms can last much longer.
A trip and fall incident can be emotionally traumatic. Your experience in treatment and recovery may be much more difficult if your mental health has suffered. You may be fearful of returning to the place of the incident or have intrusive flashbacks about it. Suffering through emotional distress can be just as significant as a physical injury. Do not delay in contacting a trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia, PA, so that you can seek fair compensation and let Wieand Law Firm advocate for you.
Trip and fall accidents account for a high percentage of workplace injuries. Regardless of the cause, it is essential to take these steps to protect your health and job.
1. Seek Medic al Attention
A trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia PA will typically emphasize the importance of immediately seeking medical attention following a workplace accident. Although many workers are reluctant to pursue treatment, opting instead to minimize their injuries, an evaluation by a medical professional can help prevent post-accident complications that may not be apparent in an accident’s immediate aftermath.
The lawyers at Wieand Law Firm advise their clients to report trip and fall accidents to their employers as soon as possible. Notifying your employer is an essential step after seeking medical care. In addition, any delays in reporting an incident could compromise a workers’ compensation claim and the benefits for which you may qualify if you cannot return to work following your accident.
Co-workers who saw your accident can offer helpful accounts to facilitate a workers’ compensation claim that can protect your income if you cannot work due to your accident. In addition, witnesses can corroborate your version of how the accident occurred to avoid delays in receiving your benefits.
A trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia PA can suggest and help you gather evidence to support a workers’ compensation claim. For example, in addition to statements from witnesses, the Wieand Law Firm lawyers recommend obtaining medical reports from physicians, including a treatment plan and a prognosis statement.
Your trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia PA will inform you about the state’s deadlines and procedures for filing a workers’ compensation claim. Although you must report the injury to your employer within 120 days, you have three years to file an insurance claim. However, the Wieand Law Firm lawyers do not recommend waiting that long to file your claim because doing so can imply that your injuries are not severe.
A work-related accident can have long-term consequences for your health and income. Still, a trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia PA can guide you through the necessary steps to ensure you receive the benefits and support you need to promote your recovery and meet your expenses.
The Wieand Law Firm lawyers have the experience and skill to protect your interests following a workplace trip and fall accident.
When a business breaches their duty to keep the premises safe, and a visitor trips and falls, the business may be liable for any losses that resulted.
As a Philadelphia, PA trip and fall lawyer might tell you, compensation may be sought through various avenues. In most cases, the negligent business will have insurance policies that cover trips and falls. Even when this is true, complications are very likely. For instance, the insurance company may try to challenge the claim, or the extent of the losses. They might even attempt to get you to accept a low settlement offer. If you do this, you give up your right to any further compensation. It is far too common for victims to accept an offer, without legal representation, only to realize its inadequacy later on. Please avoid accepting anything until you have spoken with a lawyer at Wieand Law Firm, LLC. If insurance adjusters are contacting you, let them know your lawyer will be in touch.
It is important to have the assistance of a trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania throughout the process. A lawyer can identify the extent of your losses, as well as valuable details of what happened, so that you recover maximum damages. Please call Wieand Law Firm, LLC as soon as possible. We will be happy to review your case and let you know what your next steps should be.
If you have been injured in a trip and fall accident on someone else’s property due to neglect or unsafe conditions, you may be entitled to compensation. Your actions immediately following the incident are important and may affect the outcome of the case. Since these types of claims can be difficult to prove, your best course of action is to follow the steps outlined and seek the assistance of a trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia, PA.
The number one priority to address is your own health and safety. You should see a doctor after the fall to get a thorough evaluation. Get copies of all documentation from your physician and any follow-up treatment that is required. It’s essential that you have proof of the injury to take to your trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia, PA.
Wherever the accident occurred, you should report it to the owner or manager of the property. Explain what happened and request that an incident report be written. Get a copy of the report for your own records. Refrain from accepting blame for the accident or blaming anyone else. Do not give a statement to an insurance company before you have spoken with a lawyer.
Gather as much information and evidence as you are able. Write down the exact location of the fall, as well as the date and time that it happened. Record as many details as possible, such as if the ground was icy, or the sidewalk was cracked and uneven. Take pictures if possible. Note down exactly what you were doing at the time of the fall as well.
If there were any witnesses to the incident, get a statement from them along with their name and contact information.
Find legal assistance as soon as possible. A trip and fall lawyer in Philadelphia, PA can help guide you through the process of filing a claim and providing the necessary information to reach a settlement that is in your favor. A lawyer has the skill and knowledge to collect all of the relevant information and file the claim.
Your legal representation will be there every step of the way from pre-trial meetings and mediation until the potential settlement is presented and agreed upon or denied. Be sure to give your lawyer every detail that you are able to, even if it seems insignificant to you.
The amount of time it will take to resolve a trip and fall claim will vary depending on the facts of the case. In general, liability is usually contested; thus it may take a great deal of effort on the part of a Philadelphia PA trip and fall lawyer, to prove it. It will also be up to you and the Wieand Law Firm, LLC to prove:
The owner, manager, renter, landlord, or occupier knew about the hazardous condition.
The injured party was genuinely injured by the hazardous condition and not be a trivial defect.
A trip and fall case shouldn’t be resolved until you have a full understanding of your medical diagnosis and the necessary treatment. Typically, serious injuries are heavily litigated to ensure maximum damages. To learn more about your legal options, please call a trip and fall lawyer based in Philadelphia PA at Wieand Law Firm, LLC today.
