Whether it stems from stepping on an unseen patch of ice, getting your foot caught under a loose electrical cord, or any other circumstances, getting hurt in a trip and fall can change the course of your life at a moment’s notice. In addition to unexpected medical bills and missed time at work, you may also find yourself dealing with intense physical pain, emotional trauma, and a loss of life’s pleasures from your accident—especially if you ended up suffering a permanent injury that has left you with a lifelong disability.
You can file suit over a slip or trip and fall with a skilled personal injury attorney’s help and demand civil compensation from the person at fault for causing that accident in the first place. If you want to get the best possible result from your unique claim, you should contact and hire a Quakertown slip and fall lawyer from our team. Get help from a legal professional at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers who knows how to fight and win cases like yours.
How Fault Works in Slip and Fall Claims
Slip and fall lawsuits are generally governed by premises liability law, which is a subset of standard personal injury law that deals specifically with accidents affecting visitors on a third party’s property. Pennsylvania property owners have a legal duty of care requiring them to keep their land in a reasonably safe condition so lawful visitors don’t suffer avoidable injuries. Proving that a landowner violated that duty in a way that directly led to a preventable injury occurring is the main focus of a successful slip and fall claim.
You may also need to be ready to prove that you weren’t at fault for causing your accident through your own negligent behavior—for example, by running through a place where a reasonable person likely would’ve walked. If a court finds you were partly to blame for your injury, they can assign you a percentage of comparative fault and reduce the value of your final damage award based on that percentage or deny you compensation altogether if that percentage is over 50%. This is one of many legal obstacles that a skilled Quakertown slip and fall attorney can help you navigate around.
How Long Do Trip and Fall Victims Have to File Suit?
Another roadblock to recovery that our lawyers can guide you around during a slip and fall claim in Quakertown is the statute of limitations. This is a section of Pennsylvania law that sets a time limit on your right to file suit over an accident to protect people from having the threat of a lawsuit hanging over their head forever and ensure there’s as much evidence available as possible to support a possible claim.
Typically, the statute of limitations for slip and fall cases gives you a maximum of two years to bring a lawsuit, starting from the date on which your accident actually happened. There are a few situations where you can extend that deadline, as your legal representative can explain during a private initial meeting.
Get in Touch with a Quakertown Slip and Fall Attorney
Slip and fall accidents are among the most common causes of personal injuries in Pennsylvania and across the United States. Just because this kind of accident happens a lot doesn’t mean it’s easy to get civil compensation after being hurt in this way, especially if you try to do it alone.
Working with a Quakertown slip and fall lawyer will dramatically improve your chances of proving a landowner at fault for your injuries and getting paid fairly for all your accident-related losses. Call today to get started.
