If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident, it can be easy to focus on the medical expenses and recovery process to the exclusion of legal matters. However, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical expenses, physical therapy bills, lost wages, and even pain and suffering.
However, in the midst of the physical and emotional challenges of recovering from injury, it can be difficult to tell if your case or your loved one’s case warrants hiring a lawyer. There are a few key things to look for that would indicate you should consider legal help after injury.
The injury occurred on someone else’s property
If the accident and resulting injury took place at another person’s house or at a property that another person should have been maintaining — such as a rental property — then you may have a case against that person. Both individuals and companies have a responsibility to upkeep any properties they own, particularly when other individuals will be working, living, or touring those properties. If the properties and facilities are not appropriately maintained, then the individual who owns the area or is responsible for maintenance can be found at fault for negligence. In order for a negligence case to stick, you usually must prove either that the owner knew about the dangerous conditions, or they should have known about the conditions. A personal injury lawyer can help you determine if this will be possible, and help you collect the appropriate evidence if this is possible.
You were not warned of any danger ahead of time
Although this is not crucial to a personal injury case, and cases can certainly be successful without this factor, oftentimes injured individuals were not warned of dangerous conditions before the injury took place. That is, the owner of a property or the manager of a company may have knowingly sent you or a loved one into a dangerous situation, without any advance warning that the situation was not safe. If this was the case with your injury, or if you believe it was the case, that strengthens your claim against the other party. An attorney can help you show the facts of the situation, even if the other party later denies that they knew the situation was going to be unsafe.
The injury was work-related
Although work injuries can include a large number of accident types, not limited to slips and falls, any injury connected to work activities should involve the representation of a lawyer. The dangers you or a loved one faces on the job should not cause your family any financial or emotional stress. Instead, your company or employer should be held responsible for these damages. Sometimes, your employee union will handle the case smoothly and effectively. However, if you feel you are not receiving the benefits you deserve, or you feel that your company is holding out on you, then it would likely be beneficial to hire legal help.
If you are considering hiring an attorney for legal representation in a personal injury case, then click here for more information.
