Slip, Trip & Fall

Atlanta & Duluth, GA Slip and Fall Lawyers

Slip and fall accidents are a major cause of death and injury in Atlanta. A slip and fall on a hard floor can cause broken bones, concussions, torn muscles and ligaments, and even death. When a slip and fall victim slams his or her head on a table or on the hard floor, a devastating traumatic brain injury could happen. Many slip and fall accidents would have been preventable had the property owner taken reasonable precautions. Recovering from a slip and fall accident can be expensive and take a significant amount of time. Medical bills and stress can mount up as you try to recover from your injuries. Recovering compensation from a personal injury lawsuit can significantly reduce your stress and help you focus on your recovery. 

Experienced in Slip & Fall Cases

At Rice McGowan & Brandt, our law firm focuses on representing clients who have suffered personal injuries in the Atlanta metropolitan area. We have a proven record of obtaining favorable results for our clients injured in slip and fall accidents. For over 30 years, we have focused strictly on fighting for our clients to win significant personal injury verdicts and settlements. If you have suffered injuries from a slip and fall accident caused by someone else’s negligence, we can help. Contact our Atlanta personal injury law firm today to schedule your free initial consultation. 

Common Slip and Fall Accident Locations in Atlanta

Slip and fall accidents can occur anywhere, at home, at work, or while running errands. Common locations for slip and fall accidents include the following:

• Grocery stores
• Workplaces
• Sidewalks
• Entryways
• Nursing homes
• Hospitals
• Gas stations
• Convenience stores
• Apartment complexes
• Malls
• Hotels
• Outdoor retail locations
• Sidewalks
• Public parks
• A neighbor’s deck, yard, or home

Common Slip and Fall Injuries in Atlanta

Falling onto a hard surface unexpectedly can cause a number of different injuries. Many slip and fall victims suffer multiple injuries as a result of one slip and fall. Keep in mind that sometimes the effects of the slip and accident are not always apparent. When the shock of the fall wears off, many injured individuals begin to feel the pain from the full extent of their injuries. This is why seeing a medical examiner for a complete evaluation is important. Do not state that you have not been injured in a slip and fall accident after the accident itself. Common slip and fall injuries include the following:

• Concussions
• Sprained wrists 
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Herniated discs
• Cervical dislocation
• Spinal injury
• Paralysis
• Broken bones
• Lacerations

Georgia Slip and Fall Laws

Property owners have a legal obligation to keep their land and buildings reasonably safe for authorized visitors. In a Georgia premise liability lawsuit, the injured party brings a lawsuit claiming that the landowner’s negligence caused their slip and fall injuries. When a property owner negligently fails to maintain and keep up the location where the slip and fall occurred, they may be liable to compensate the victim for his or her injuries. If an establishment failed to maintain a safe environment, and that lack of safety lead to a slip and fall, you may have a right to make a legal claim for damages you have suffered from your injury. 

Business owners have a duty to warn customers of any known risks or hazards that the customer might encounter while on the premises. For example, if a grocery store employee mopped the floor and failed to leave any safety warnings, a customer who slipped and fell on the wet floor would likely have a legal claim to compensation. Even if the store did not have actual notice of the dangerous situation, it might be liable. An example of this scenario would be when a store manager knows that certain oil products tend to leak out of the bottle and spill onto the floor and the manager continued to let the dangerous condition happen.

What Do You Need to Prove to Win a Slip and Fall Lawsuit?

To receive a settlement for your slip and fall injuries, you must prove certain elements. You will need to prove that the defendant’s negligence caused the dangerous condition that, in turn, caused you to slip and fall and become injured. You will also need to prove that you did receive physical injuries. Proving these elements can be difficult, depending on the circumstances. When no witnesses saw the slip and fall, or when a victim did not seek immediate medical care, or already had some injuries before the slip and fall, hiring a skilled lawyer becomes essential. 

At Rice McGowan & Brandt, our legal team takes the time to thoroughly investigate our client’s cases. We work with a network of experts to help prove that the defendant’s negligence caused our client’s injuries. Our legal team positively links your injuries to the particular time and place of the slip and fall accident. In doing so, we increase your chances of recovering a favorable settlement offer or verdict in court. 

Damages Available in a Slip and Fall Lawsuit

Successful plaintiffs in slip and fall accidents can recover compensation for the costs associated with the accident. In many cases, personal injury recovery is the one chance that a plaintiff has to recover money to sustain him or herself and her family. Through a successful premises liability lawsuit in Atlanta, a slip and fall victim can secure all of the following types of compensation:

• Continued medical treatment
• Medical bills, including bills for surgery, physical therapy, and hospital bills
• Lost income caused by time off of work while recovering
• Reduced capacity for future earnings
• Compensation for inability to perform household or childcare duties
• Non-economic damages for pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and loss of enjoyment
• Punitive damages in some cases

What Constitutes a Slip, Trip, or Fall Accident?

The phrase ‘slip-and-fall’ describes a wide range of personal injury cases. Slipping and falling on the ground is not the only type of slip and fall accident. Someone can slip, fall, trip, or even slide onto the ground or another object, becoming injured. All slip, trip, and fall cases lawsuits have one thing in common – the injury was caused by a hazardous condition on another person’s property.  

Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere, including inside a building, on a sidewalk, at a park, in a parking lot, and more. Outside slip and fall accidents become more common during the winter months due to ice, snow, and rain. Whether your slip and fall accident happened on a residential, public, or commercial property, it is worth taking the time to discuss your case with an attorney to learn more about your legal options.

Brain Injuries Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents

Brain injuries are among the most serious injuries caused by slip and fall accidents. When a person slips and falls suddenly, their head may hit a hard surface. A person may fall backward or forward and not be able to catch themselves using their elbows or hands. As a result, the individual’s head can collide with the ground, a shelf, or another object, causing a brain injury. Research has shown that even mild traumatic brain injuries, often called concussions, can have significant long-term effects that last for well over a year. Victims with severe traumatic brain injuries may need around-the-clock medical care for the rest of their lives.

Mistakes to Avoid After a Slip and Fall Accident

Becoming injured in a slip and fall accident can be a scary and overwhelming event. You may be wondering what steps you should take next. The first thing you should do is report the slip-and-fall to management at the location you fell. The management should file an incident report, which can be one of the most important pieces of evidence in your legal claim. If you are well enough to do so, take photos of the scene with your phone before employees begin cleaning it up. Having photo and video evidence can help you prove that the defendant’s negligence caused your injuries.

Do Not Put Off Seeking Medical Treatment

Many people try to tough it out after being injured in a slip, trip, and fall accident. They may not realize how severe their injury is because they may be in shock due to the adrenaline from the accident. As a result, their injury may get worse. It is crucial that she receive a thorough medical examination immediately after the slip and fall accident. Tell the doctor all of your symptoms, and do not hold back. You should also go to all of your follow-up appointments and any specialist appointments to which you are referred. Doing so can help you prove that the slip and fall caused your injuries and that your injuries are as severe as you claim.

Do Not Accept an Offer Without Speaking to an Attorney

As you see your mounting medical bills roll in, it can be tempting to take the first offer that the defendant or the insurance company gives you. After all, you will get the money right away, and you can begin paying your bills. Quickly accepting an offer can be tempting, but remember that the other party rarely gives you the full value of your claim. Rejecting early offers does not mean you need to go to trial. Many cases settle before the trial. A skilled personal injury attorney can help you understand how much your claim is worth and advocate for a fair settlement for you.

Do Not Wait Too Long to File Your Claim

Many people make the mistake of waiting too long to talk to an attorney about their slip and fall accident. Every lawsuit is subject to a strict time limit called the statute of limitations. If you file your case after the statute of limitations has expired, the court will dismiss your lawsuit, and you will not have the ability to recover damages. In Georgia, the statute of limitations for most slip and fall accidents is two years from the date of the accident. However, the statute of limitations is much shorter if you need to bring a claim against a municipality, like a city or a town. Talking to an attorney sooner rather than later will help your chances at recovering the compensation you deserve. 

How Can an Accident Attorney Help Me?

Slip and fall accidents can become complicated quickly. If you slipped and fell in a retail location, business, or other commercial area, you may have a claim against the business for damages. Most businesses carry commercial liability insurance, and you can attempt to settle with their insurance company. As a for-profit business, the insurance company will attempt to deny paying you compensation, or they will try to pay you as little as possible. Trying to negotiate with an aggressive insurance company while recovering from a serious slip-and-fall injury can be a daunting task. When you work with an attorney, your attorney will handle all of the communication and negotiation with the insurance company or defendant so you can focus on your recovery.

A skilled slip-and-fall attorney will be able to help you effectively calculate your damages. Those who have suffered serious or catastrophic injuries may not be able to return to work. If you underestimate your lifetime costs associated with your injury, you will not recover enough compensation to last for the rest of your life. Attorney James Rice has extensive experience calculating damages in slip and fall cases. When necessary, he works with financial experts to project future medical costs for long-lasting or permanent injuries. You can be compensated for your missed time at work, even if you work for yourself and have your own business.

Our Atlanta Slip and Fall Injury Attorneys Can Help

Hiring a skilled lawyer is essential after a slip and fall accident. At Rice McGowan & Brandt, our skilled personal injury lawyers fight hard on behalf of our clients. Contact our Atlanta personal injury law firm today to schedule your free initial consultation.

 I contacted Attorney Jim Rice, while devastated, from a slip and fall accident. During my time of healing, Jim supported me and provided guidance through the process. He worked hard to represent my best interests and I was awarded one of the largest verdict in the courts history for this type of injury. Very satisfied! He’s more than my lawyer, he’s my friend!

Layla Bitoy

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