Lakeland Slip-And-Fall Lawyer

Premises Liability and Slip-And-Fall Injuries in Lakeland

A slip-and-fall accident can occur on any property with a hazardous condition. In Lakeland, they often occur at grocery stores, restaurants, and poorly maintained apartment complexes.

Under Florida law, property owners have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors. This premises liability law in slip-and-fall cases makes a property owner liable for their negligence.

Examples of hazardous conditions that cause slip-and-fall accidents include a wet floor, an uneven/damaged walkway, an icy/snow-covered surface, a hidden obstacle, a loose rug, poor lighting, and staircase hazards, such as missing/broken handrails and uneven steps.

Why Choose Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, for Your Lakeland Case?

Working with a Lakeland slip-and-fall lawyer is crucial to receiving the compensation you deserve. At Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, we specifically focus on personal injury and premises liability law. We have extensive knowledge of the field.

Additionally, our firm has a 40+ person support team that assists with gathering medical records and managing insurance communications. Thus, we obtain enough information about cases, while handling interactions between a client and a property owner’s insurance adjuster.

Moreover, we are skilled at negotiating fair settlements. We prepare every Lakeland fall case from the beginning as if it’s going to court to maximize negotiation leverage. And when a fair settlement can’t be reached, we are always ready to take a case to trial.

Common Serious Injuries From Slip-And-Fall Accidents

The most common injuries reported in Lakeland slip-and-fall accidents are:

• Hip fractures
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord damage
• Wrist/arm fractures from bracing for impact
• Soft tissue injuries
• Internal injuries

These injuries often require long-term medical treatment and physical therapy, as they can cause severe damage and mobility issues, which might take months or years to treat. This can result in significant lost income and psychological impacts.

In Florida, you can seek compensation for both visible physical injuries and “invisible” non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Immediate Steps To Take After a Fall in Lakeland

1. Report the fall to the property owner/manager immediately so they can create an official incident report.
2. Seek medical attention, even if you feel “fine.” However, if you can’t move, or have severe pain, call 911 to receive emergency medical services at the scene.
3. Take photos of the hazard (the puddle, hole, clutter, uneven steps, etc.). If you can’t move, request someone to help you document the scene.
4. Get witness contact information and a copy of the incident report before leaving the premises.
5. Contact a Lakeland slip-and-fall attorney. It’s critical to get legal guidance before speaking to an insurance adjuster, as they may try to minimize your claim.

What Evidence Is Needed To Prove a Slip-And-Fall Case?

When seeking compensation for damages in a slip-and-fall case, you are required to prove actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition.

Actual knowledge means the property owner knew about the dangerous condition, whereas constructive knowledge means it existed long enough that they should have known about it.

Our firm helps injured victims gather important evidence that proves actual or constructive knowledge.

This includes:

• Surveillance videos: Footage can show an employee walking past a spill or the property owner ignoring a hazard.
• Maintenance logs: Maintenance records can demonstrate that a property has had a similar issue in the same spot in the past. Therefore, the owner knew or should have known about it. They can also prove that a property has not been maintained for a long time, which can be considered negligence.
• Employee training manuals: Training manuals provide information about a business’s internal safety standards. If a manual requires immediate cleaning of spills or clearing of clutter, but surveillance footage shows an employee walking past the hazard, a business may have breached its duty of care. A manual can also show that a business failed to properly train employees on safety protocols.
• Floor cleaning records: Businesses keep floor cleaning records for safety and liability protection. In a slip-and-fall case, these records can show gaps in cleaning logs, proving an area wasn’t checked for hours. Comparing these records against surveillance footage and witness testimony helps us strengthen cases.

Medical records are also crucial in slip-and-fall cases, as they create a direct link between the fall and injuries. That’s why it’s vital to seek medical attention immediately after leaving the scene, even when you believe you are fine.

How To Recover Compensation After a Slip and Fall

When you file a slip-and-fall claim, you can recover economic damages, such as medical bills (past and future) and lost wages, and non-economic damages, including pain and suffering and emotional distress.

According to Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can still recover, even if you were partially at fault, provided your degree of fault is not greater than 50%. Thus, do not shy away from filing a claim, even if you were distracted by your phone or had shoes that were inappropriate for the conditions.

Note that Florida has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases. Waiting too long can permanently bar your claim.

How Our Lakeland Slip-And-Fall Lawyer Can Help

Our legal team helps those injured by handling all paperwork, calculating total damages, and aggressively negotiating with insurance companies. Our firm also always uses its expertise and works with other professionals to build strong cases that help clients receive maximum compensation.

We can help establish who is liable for a slip-and-fall accident and provide enough guidance to ensure clients avoid mistakes, like accepting quick, low settlements or giving an insurance company a recorded statement.

Our firm helps injured victims recover grocery store slip-and-fall settlements, slip-and-fall settlements without surgery, and compensation for other types of cases, using our strong negotiation skills. And when an insurer fails to offer a fair settlement, we have the resources and experience to take a case to trial in Polk County. We will fight for your rights in court.

Our team is committed to treating clients like family. We are also available 24/7 to provide case updates.

FAQs

Schedule Your Free Consultation With a Lakeland Slip-And-Fall Lawyer

If you are injured in a slip-and-fall accident because of someone else’s negligence, our slip-and-fall lawyer in Lakeland, FL, will help you hold the negligent party responsible. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will pay nothing, unless we recover money for you.

We are passionate about helping Lakeland residents secure the justice they deserve. Call us today for a free, no-obligation case review.