Slip and Fall Attorneys Vital to Outcome
Slip and fall lawsuits fall under the bailiwick of a personal injury attorney and for good reason. Injury lawyers exist to maintain the rights of an injury victim in court or when dealing with an insurance company but we also can set precedent and serve as reminders to property owners (in the case of slip and falls) to maintain safety on their premises. I’ve made mention of the fact that trips, slips and fall injuries fall under what is called “premises liability,” wherein a property owner has an obligation to maintain their property in a state such that the potential for accidents suffered by visitors to the property is minimized or eliminated.
Despite the best efforts of legislators as well as us injury attorneys, slip and fall accidents occur with regularity all over the country. Some of these lawsuits achieve a certain degree of publicity due to the large amounts awarded to the victim. Such was the case with Holly Averyt v. Wal-Mart.
Slip and fall defendant Walmart
In 2007 Holly Averyt was a commercial truck driver who, in the midst of a delivery to a Wal-Mart in Greeley, Colorado, slipped on grease and suffered, among other things, a ruptured disc in her spine, preventing her from being able to continue working as a truck driver.
Personal Injury Attorney Must Prove Case
With slip and fall (premises liability) claims, it’s essential that the plaintiff (or most times the plaintiff’s personal injury lawyer) prove in court that either the property owner knew about a hazardous situation and did not remedy it or in fact caused the hazardous condition that resulted in a slip and fall accident. These are not always easy things to prove in a court of law and that’s one reason a slip and fall attorney is hired. Through efforts of attorneys such as myself, evidence can be found to bolster or prove the claim of the plaintiff.
In the case of Averyt, it was found that the city of Greeley, CO had issued a memorandum that specifically referenced the grease spill (and its subsequent removal) that Averyt had slipped on. This was instrumental in the finding for the plaintiff and the award of $15 million in damages. Of course not every slip and fall accident will result in such large figures but I mention this case because it reinforces what I have said elsewhere on this website, that it can be one of the smartest moves you make in the wake of an injury to hire a personal injury attorney. Without experienced legal help on their side, injury victims may lose out on full and fair compensation.
Slip and fall injuries can be devastating. As in Averyt’s case, her spinal injuries altered her life and livelihood. The same may be true if you’ve suffered from a trip, slip or fall. If you have and want to enlist the services of the best personal injury attorney in Orange County, please call my offices in Tustin at 714-544-1460. We here at Kyle Scott Law have the experience as well as the compassion to see your slip and fall lawsuit through to the maximum recovery amount allowed by law. Don’t wait. Call us today!