Slip-and-fall incidents can result in traumatic injuries that lead to physical impairments and financial turmoil. It takes more than an accident report to get you the compensation you need to cover your injuries and other accident-related losses.
At Ted A. Greve & Associates, our slip-and-fall lawyers want to help you pursue the compensation you need while protecting your legal rights and ensuring you aren’t taken advantage of during this stressful situation. Insurers and property owners want to avoid liability and a hefty payout, which means you may not get a settlement offer that accounts for your total injuries and losses. Our team will do all the work for you and pursue the money you deserve.
Contact our office today to request a free legal consultation. Our slip-and-fall injury lawyers in Gastonia, NC, proudly represent local accident victims area and can help them get back on their feet again.
Understanding Slip and Fall Incidents in Gastonia, NC
People who slip and fall on another person’s property have the legal right to pursue compensation for their injuries when a careless property owner is responsible for causing the accident. That doesn’t mean the property owner intentionally pushed you, causing you to fall. Property owners are legally responsible for ensuring their premises are reasonably safe for visitors and guests and free from safety hazards.
When an accident occurs on someone else’s property in Gastonia, the property owner may be liable if they knew or should have reasonably known that the conditions on their property were dangerous or unsafe and did not take appropriate steps to prevent accidents.
North Carolina law allows injured slip-and-fall victims to pursue compensation for their injuries and accident-related losses. However, these rights do not extend to everyone, only visitors or invitees to a property. Trespassers do not have the same legal protections. Trespassers are people who do not have explicit or implied permission to be on someone else’s property.
How do slip-and-fall incidents in Gastonia happen? Several dangerous conditions can make a property unsafe for patrons, guests, and visitors, including:
- Icy surfaces
- Spills
- Slick surfaces or flooring
- Torn carpeting or rugs
- Uneven walkways
- Sidewalk cracks
- Potholes
- Loose floorboards
- Exposed wires or loose cords
- Products or boxes blocking walking paths or store aisles
- Loose or broken stairs
- Loose handrails or stairs without handrails
- Unmarked stairs or tripping hazards
- Poor lighting
North Carolina slip-and-fall accidents can cause significant and life-altering injuries. Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list falls as one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injury in the United States. Traumatic brain injuries can lead to potentially permanent physical and cognitive impairments and even death.
Slip-and-fall accidents should be taken seriously. Always seek immediate medical attention for your injuries and discuss your situation with a skilled North Carolina personal injury attorney before accepting compensation from a business or insurance provider.
Why Hire a Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer in Gastonia?
Property owners and insurance companies rarely want to accept responsibility for careless actions on their property. Instead, they want to shift blame onto the injured party and attempt to pay as little compensation as possible to injured slip-and-fall accident victims. That’s why you must hire a slip-and-fall accident attorney who understands how to manage Gastonia slip-and-fall injury cases.
At Ted A. Greve & Associates, our legal team has extensive legal knowledge and resources that can help slip-and-fall accident victims pursue maximum compensation for their injuries and hold careless property owners accountable for their actions. A lawyer can actively advocate for you, building a solid case backed by evidence and aggressively negotiating on your behalf.
Individuals in Gastonia with personalized legal representation tend to walk away from an accident with more compensation than individuals choosing to negotiate and represent themselves.
Proving Fault in Slip and Fall Cases
Proving fault for a slip-and-fall accident comes down to using evidence to establish a few key legal elements. Those elements include:
- The property owner is legally responsible for maintaining a safe environment for patrons, guests, and visitors. If the injured person was an invitee of the property owner, the owner further had a duty to search for hazardous conditions.
- The property owner knew or should have reasonably known that a safety hazard existed on the property, and they did not take appropriate steps to warn people or fix the dangerous conditions.
- The dangerous condition caused a slip-and-fall accident.
- The slip-and-fall accident victim suffered injuries and measurable losses as a direct result of the dangerous condition and slip-and-fall incident.
Evidence that may help a seasoned attorney build a compelling slip-and-fall accident case can include:
- Accident report
- Medical records
- Witness statements
- Photographs and videos of the scene
- Surveillance footage of the incident
- Expert witness testimony
Collecting and preserving evidence can be challenging when coping with a significant injury. A personal injury attorney can take on the task, allowing you to focus on healing.
What To Do After a Fall
After a Gastonia slip-and-fall accident, there are several steps you should take to protect yourself and improve your chances of mounting a solid compensation claim. After a fall, you can take these steps:
- File an accident report with a manager or supervisor when applicable.
- Document the scene with photographs and videos.
- Ask witnesses for a brief statement of what they saw and their contact information.
- Seek immediate medical attention for your injuries.
- Consult with a personal injury lawyer serving the Gastonia area.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment plan.
- Preserve evidence by keeping your shoes and clothing from the day of the accident in a plastic bag (do not wash or alter them)
- Avoid posting anything on social media until your lawyer resolves your case.
Call Ted A Greve & Associates Today
After a slip-and-fall accident, you deserve fair compensation for your injuries. Can you be sure that a property owner or insurance company will offer you what’s fair? The slip-and-fall accident lawyers at Ted A. Greve & Associates want to help you through the legal process and deliver the most favorable result possible.
Please get in touch with our Gastonia office today to set up a free legal consultation to discuss your case.
