Salinas Slip & Fall Lawyers

Slip & Fall vs. Trip & Fall Accidents

You may hear someone refer to a fall-related accident as a slip and fall or a trip and fall. There is a difference, but the terms are often used interchangeably. A slip and fall involve slipping on something, such as a wet floor, and falling down. A trip & fall involves tripping over something on the ground, such as an item that fell off a shelf at the store.

Common Causes of Slip and Falls in California

Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere. Common locations include restaurants, parking lots, theme parks, stores, shopping malls, hotels, and escalators.

Some of the more common causes of slip or trip & fall cases include:

• Hazards or debris on the floor;
• Wet floors;
• Loose carpeting or uneven floors;
• Loose mats or rugs;
• Broken stair railing or stair;
• Unsafe ladders;
• Broken or uneven sidewalk;
• Potholes or other hazards in a parking lot; and
• Rain or melted snow.

It’s not uncommon to have more than one of these factors contribute to a slip and fall accident. For example, rain at the entry door of a store could leave a puddle, causing you to slip as you step onto the interior tile.

Determining Fault in a Premises Liability Claim

Proving liability in a slip and fall claim can be complicated, which is why it’s essential to hire experienced Salinas slip & fall lawyers. You won’t be able to collect any compensation—even if you have permanent injuries—without proving the defendant was liable. To prove liability, you must show evidence there was a hazard of some type that the defendants did not fix or warn people about.

These cases are rarely straightforward. And because so many slip and fall claims are presented, insurance adjusters are skeptical and question each claimant’s assertions to help root out fraudulent claims.

A critical element is whether the defendant knew or should’ve known about the hazardous condition. For example, someone spills liquid on the floor in the grocery store. If you fall in the puddle five hours after the spill occurred, the grocery store would likely be liable. But if you fall 30 seconds after the spill, the store didn’t have time to discover the spill and certainly didn’t have time to clean it up. In that case, they’d likely not be held liable.

Common Slip & Fall Injuries

Injuries in a slip and fall accident can be devastating. The older we get, the more severe these injuries tend to be. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one out of five falls results in serious injuries, such as a broken bone or head injury.

The CDC statistics also indicate that at least three million older people visit an emergency room each year for fall-related injuries. Of this number, over 800,000 of them end up requiring hospitalization. The CDC notes that over 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls. Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries as well.

Other common slip & fall injuries include other types of head injuries, organ damage, internal bleeding, and puncture wounds.

Why Hire an Attorney?

You need a seasoned legal advocate on your side for premises liability cases. Insurance companies are interested in protecting their bottom line and will do everything in their power to give you as little money as possible. Without an attorney to properly assess the value of your case, insurance adjusters know that you are flying blind. They know you have bills piling up and will likely take whatever lowball offer they make. The experienced team at Silva Injury Law knows the tactics insurance companies use to get out of paying claims, and we won’t let them get away with it. We will conduct a thorough independent investigation, preserve all evidence, and help prepare a strong case that gets you the maximum compensation possible.

And, of course, if the insurance company will not agree to a fair settlement, we will be ready to take your case to trial.

Contact the Salinas Slip & Fall Attorneys at Silva Injury Law

After a slip and fall injury, you should concentrate on healing, not dealing with the defendant’s insurance adjuster. The experienced team at Silva Injury Law is here to take all of the legal hassles off your shoulders and ensure you get what you’re entitled to. Contact our office to schedule an initial consultation.

Our experienced legal team handles other types of injury cases as well, including:

• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Dog Bites
• Wrongful Death
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Sexual Assault
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Drunk Driving Accidents
• Distracted Driving Accidents
• Nursing Home Abuse