Most people do not think that a slip, trip, and fall could result in serious personal injuries, but our slip & fall lawyer in Newtown Square, PA, knows this to be true. Statistics support this conclusion. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Presentation (CDC), falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistics Center (NSCISC) provides that falls are the second leading cause of all spinal cord injuries (SCIs), behind motor vehicle accidents by less than 6%. While both TBIs and SCIs are catastrophic types of injuries resulting in high medical bills and significant lost wages, other types of injuries from falls like broken bones, knee or shoulder damage, back injuries, and other damage could also result in overwhelming medical bills with crippling lost wages.
At Silver & Silver, our slip & fall lawyers know how devastating slips, trips, and falls can be for a victim and his or her family. This is why our bodily injury law firm offers FREE consultations and does not charge any upfront costs for litigation expenses or lawyer fees. Instead, we accept cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only get reimbursed and paid only after we recover compensation for you in a settlement or court award. This means there is no upfront cost or financial risk to work with our law firm. Learn why residents of Pennsylvania have trusted Silver & Silver for over 40 years during a FREE consultation by dialing 610-638-7255.
Liability in a Slip & Fall
Under Pennsylvania law, all landowners or tenants must maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. This includes keeping the premises free of dangerous or hazardous defects that could cause injuries to others. Certain landowners or tenants like stores or government buildings have a duty to perform routine inspections to detect and repair these defects.
Victims of a slip and fall may commence a premises liability action against landowners or tenants who fail to maintain their property properly. Historically, invitees to a store were afforded the highest level of protection, while trespassers were afforded the lowest level of protection. However, the law has evolved and even protects trespassers in certain situations from property defects—primarily known or foreseeable trespassers such as children cutting through a yard.
Common Types of Injuries in a Slip & Fall
Our slip & fall attorney in Newtown Square, PA, can handle any type of injury caused by a defective condition on another’s property. No injury is too small to bring a lawsuit in Pennsylvania, and even a “mild” injury could result in significant pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical bills—particularly a brain injury.
Some of the most common types of injuries that a slip and fall could cause include the following:
- TBIs
- SCIs
- Broken bones, including spiral fractures from getting a foot caught in a hole or under defective flooring
- Shoulder dislocations or separations
- Knee injuries, including meniscus injuries, MCL, PCL, ACL, or LCL injuries
- Neck or back injuries, including slipped discs, herniations, radiculopathy, and other damages
- Brachial plexus or nerve injuries
- Significant scarring or disfigurement
- Need for joint replacement
- Rotator cuff injuries or SLAP tears, and
- Our slip & fall attorney in Newtown Square, PA, can handle other types of standard and severe injuries for you.
Comparative Fault in Pennsylvania Slip and Falls
A common defense in almost every type of personal injury case, especially in slips, trips, and falls, is that the victim caused or contributed to his or her injuries. Insurance adjusters will commonly blame victims for their injuries and try to deny a claim for this reason. Unless you retain an experienced slip & fall attorney in Newtown Square, PA, you may fall victim to this improper argument by an insurance adjuster.
Pennsylvania law allows a victim to recover damages for personal injuries—even if the victim caused or contributed to his or her damages. This is because Pennsylvania is a “comparative fault” state. In comparative fault states, a victim’s proportional amount of fault can lower his or her total award.
For example, if a victim is found to be 10% at fault for his fall and receives $100,000 in a lawsuit, a court may lower the award to $90,000.
It is common in slip & fall cases for a victim to have some percentage of comparative fault. This is why it is imperative to hire a reputable law firm like Silver & Silver to protect your rights.
Call Silver & Silver’s Slip & Fall Lawyer in Newtown Square, PA Today
Pennsylvania has a time limit on filing a slip and fall lawsuit known as the statute of limitations period. If you try to file a lawsuit outside that time limit, a court may automatically dismiss your case without hearing the merits of your case or injuries.
Do not delay in getting help. Call Silver & Silver to schedule a FREE consultation with our slip & fall attorney in Newtown Square, PA, by dialing 610-638-7255 or use our “contact us” box available here to send us a message. We have over 40 years of experience representing victims and their families throughout Pennsylvania. Learn how we can help yours today.