Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere and at any time. Depending on how your accident happens, you can be severely injured. If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, then you deserve compensation. Once you file your claim, the process begins. It’s important to have an experienced personal injury attorney on your team that knows how to prepare your case and how to get results so that you can get the maximum compensation that you deserve for your injuries.
There are a wide range of factors that can go into a slip and fall accident case, because of this it is not easy to determine how long it could take to reach a settlement in your case. However, knowing the factors that may influence your case can help you determine how long it may take.
Proving Negligence
One of the most difficult parts of any slip and fall case is trying to prove that the person at-fault for the slip and fall acted in a way that was not taking due caution to protect the safety of other people.
Examples of slip and fall negligence cases include:
- Wet floors
- Poor lighting
- Cluttered walkways
- Improperly secured railings
- Uneven sidewalks
- Poorly maintained equipment
- Slick surfaces
- Failure to warn about potential issues (wet floor signs etc)
Any of these situations could result in a serious slip and fall. Your attorney will be able to help you gather evidence such as video footage and witness testimony to help prove your case.
Who is Responsible
Another tricky part of a slip and fall case is determining who is responsible. In most cases when you are injured, it is the responsibility of the owner or manager of the premises. Liability falls to the person who is most in charge of the premises as to maintaining adequate safety standards.
However, this can become more complicated if a third party is involved, such as a vendor stocking goods in a grocery store, an equipment supplier on a job site or other such situations, in this case, it may be the fault of the third party and not the owner or manager of the location you are in.
How Long May Your Case Take?
Assuming that the parties in your case are willing to settle, in the most simple of circumstances where there is direct proof of negligence and the insurance company is not willing to fight the claim, a case may be able to be settled within a few months.
However, if proof of negligence is unclear, it can take much longer as rather than go directly to settlement, the case may move to discovery where both sides gather and present evidence. This can drag out the case much longer.
Also, if there is a question of liability, such as with a third party, you may wind up with a case against the wrong party. A talented personal injury attorney should help you avoid these types of situations though.
The more complex the case is, the more parties involved and the less clear cut the evidence, the longer it can take to reach a settlement. In some situations, these types of cases can take years before they reach a settlement or a verdict.
That is why it is important to act immediately after your slip and fall, gather evidence, witness statements, pictures,etc and contact an experienced personal injury attorney to fight on your behalf.
