Colorado Springs: Slip-and-Fall Lawyer
Slip-and-fall accidents injure people every day. Adults 65 and older are particularly vulnerable, with falls sending 3 million people to emergency rooms each year. As of 2021, falls, slips, and trips were the second-leading cause of death, causing 850 deaths in workplace incidents.
A slip-and-fall accident can disrupt your life. You may need medical care and may have to take time off work because of your injuries, causing physical and financial challenges.
In some situations, you may have grounds to pursue a legal case and seek damages after a slip-and-fall accident. In those circumstances, a slip-and-fall attorney can help you fight to recover damages. Bachus & Schanker’s personal injury attorneys can help you with your Colorado Springs slip-and-fall case. We use our legal experience to prepare your case and fight for fair compensation after an accident.
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What is a slip-and-fall accident?
Slips, trips, and falls can cause minor and severe injuries. Slip-and-fall accidents encompass all three types of incidents. A slip or trip may cause a person to fall; however, it’s also possible for people to fall for other reasons or trip and suffer injuries without falling to the ground.
Common causes of slip-and-fall accidents
Slip-and-fall accidents have multiple causes, including the following:
- Broken handrails: Handrails offer support when you’re using stairs. A broken handrail can cause you to lose your balance and fall.
- Damaged flooring: Torn carpeting, damaged linoleum, broken tiles, and loose floorboards are safety hazards that cause slip-and-fall accidents
- Damaged pavement: A crack or dip in a driveway or sidewalk can lead to a slip-and-fall accident if you catch your foot in the damaged area and lose your balance
- Uneven walkways: There’s a greater chance you’ll misstep on uneven walkways, leading to an accident
- Wet or slippery surfaces: Wet and slippery surfaces can cause you to lose your grip when walking, resulting in a slip-and-fall accident
Slip-and-fall injuries
Slip-and-fall accidents can cause minor and severe injuries, including the following:
- Broken bones: A fall could result in a broken arm or leg, or you could fracture other bones throughout your body. You may need to wear a cast, which can take weeks to months for your bones to heal.
- Dislocations: Your joints could be dislocated after a slip and fall, causing pain and swelling and limiting your ability to use your joints
- Nerve damage: Nerves relay signals between your brain, muscles, and organs. Nerve damage impairs their communication ability, and nerve pain can interfere with routine activities.
- Spinal cord injuries (SCIs): SCIs include short- and long-term injuries. SCIs may impair your ability to move and perform any tasks involving your legs and body.
- Sprains: Spraining a wrist, elbow, knee, or ankle can interfere with routine activities. Some sprains heal within weeks, while others may take months.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): TBIs include concussions and permanent brain damage. A severe TBI can affect your cognitive abilities for the rest of your life.
What is a slip-and-fall lawyer?
A slip-and-fall attorney is a lawyer specializing in personal injury law. Slip-and-fall lawyers have in-depth training in injury law, and they use their familiarity with slip-and-fall case precedents to get compensation for slip-and-fall injury victims after an accident.
Do I need a slip-and-fall lawyer?
Your Colorado Springs lawyer can determine whether you have grounds for a legal case and help you get fair compensation for your injuries. When you hire an attorney, you don’t have to worry about learning how to file a claim or how much compensation to seek.
When should I hire a lawyer?
If you’re in a slip-and-fall accident in Colorado Springs, you should hire an attorney if someone’s negligence caused that accident.
Suppose you went to the grocery store in the afternoon. The store didn’t remove the snow that fell that morning, and melted snow caused puddles inside the entrance. The store didn’t put up signs alerting you about the wet floor. Slipping on the wet floor causes you to fall and suffer an injury. The store may be liable for damages.
The best way to determine whether you have grounds for a legal case is to contact a slip-and-fall attorney to discuss your situation.
What damages can I seek in a slip-and-fall case?
Most slip-and-fall victims can seek economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are calculable costs related to your accident and injuries. Non-economic damages don’t come with a price tag. These damages represent the personal toll from your accident.
Economic damages include compensation for the following:
- Childcare costs
- Lost income
- Medical expenses
- Property damage costs
- Transportation costs
Non-economic damages include compensation for the following:
- Loss of intimacy: You can seek compensation if you cannot be intimate with your partner or if your injuries affect your relationship
- Mental health issues: Injury victims can struggle with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Pain and suffering: You may be able to receive damages for your pain and suffering after a slip-and-fall accident
Your attorney will ensure you consider all possible compensation when calculating how much damages to seek. In addition to economic and non-economic damages, some slip-and-fall victims can seek punitive damages. Punitive damages only apply when the at-fault party is guilty of gross negligence. Suppose you walked down a flight of stairs, and a broken handrail caused you to fall. You may have grounds to seek economic and non-economic damages. However, if someone deliberately broke the handrail to make you fall, you may also have grounds to seek punitive damages.
What to do after a slip-and-fall accident
Taking the following steps can help you prepare a slip-and-fall accident claim:
- Take your injuries seriously: Don’t dismiss the incident. You may be in shock and not realize you have severe physical injuries.
- Seek medical care: Medical tests can confirm internal injuries like bone fractures
- Report your accident: Follow the appropriate channels required to report your accident. This may involve talking to the property owner or a work supervisor.
- Call an attorney: Use your free consultation to receive legal counsel at the accident scene. Your attorney will remind you of the steps you should take, ensuring you protect your legal rights.
How Bachus & Schanker can help
Bachus & Schanker’s legal team will fight for you to receive justice after a slip-and-fall accident. Our team includes a Victim’s Advocates team staffed by legal professionals who’ll update you about the status of your case and investigate your accident to ensure we have all the evidence needed to get you fair compensation. We don’t charge legal fees unless we win your case, so you never have to worry about having money to hire a lawyer. We’re standing by to help you with your slip-and-fall case today.
Sources:
Dislocation. (2023).
Facts About Falls. (2023).
Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure. (2023).
Sprains and strains. (2023).
What Happens When You Break a Bone? (2023).
Related Slip And Fall Resources
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Written and Legally Reviewed By: Kyle Bachus
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,461 Google Reviews
Kyle is a member of the Colorado and Florida Bar associations and has served on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association for more than twenty years in total. Over the years, Kyle has achieved justice for many clients. He has served on numerous committees and repeatedly won recognition from his peers at both the state and national level. He is proud of the role he has played in the passage of state and national legislation to protect consumers and is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer.
