Slip & Fall Incidents

If you experienced a slip and fall incident due to a wet spot or poorly maintained walkway, it’s important to understand that the property owner is not automatically liable for your damages, whether it occurred on residential or commercial premises. 

Proving negligence on your own can be challenging, but the experienced slip and fall lawyers at Burton & Reardon in Las Vegas are here to assist you in obtaining the compensation you deserve. We offer free, no-obligation consultations to discuss your case. Rest assured, you won’t have to bear any financial burden unless we win your liability case. Call us at (702) 213-0303 to get started. 

Expenses Associated with Trip and Fall Injuries 
In addition to medical expenses, a slip and fall injury can result in missed work for an extended period, making it difficult to cover prescription and hospital visit costs. In severe cases, rehabilitation services may also be necessary. The financial burden of these expenses can lead to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, which can exacerbate an already challenging situation. 

Seeking Help from a Las Vegas Slip and Fall Attorney 
If you’ve suffered a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property, such as a restaurant, casino, bar, or department store, pursuing legal action may be an option. Our Las Vegas accident attorneys at Burton & Reardon can assist in proving the property owner’s negligence. 

Determining liability depends on the specific circumstances and may involve a single entity or a group. Regardless, our attorneys will work diligently to identify those responsible for failing to maintain a safe environment. Rest assured, handling a trip and fall case can be complex, as the parties at fault are unlikely to willingly accept responsibility or provide the compensation you deserve. 

During this difficult time, you shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden of medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses alone. The responsibility should fall on the party accountable. By having a lawyer handle your case, you can have peace of mind, knowing that we will take care of all the necessary steps, from filing claims to negotiating with insurance companies. This way, you can focus on your recovery. 

Proving Liability in a Slip and Fall Case 
Experiencing a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property is not sufficient to win a liability case. It is essential to demonstrate that the situation was hazardous and that the property owner failed to ensure the safety of customers, workers, or pedestrians. While the property owner may not have had malicious intentions, their negligence lies in their failure to maintain the premises properly, resulting in your injury. 

Proving negligence can involve various aspects, such as: 

• • Demonstrating that the property owner created a dangerous situation, such as failing to inform the public about a known slippery surface before your accident. 
  • Providing evidence that the property owner lacked necessary safety measures, such as the absence of handrails on stairs or unfilled potholes in parking spaces. 
  • Establishing that the property owner neglected to address a known hazard, such as failing to clean up a spilled liquid despite being aware of its presence. 

Having evidence of the area during your accident, such as photographs, can be beneficial in proving liability. However, even without such evidence, our legal team can still effectively win your liability case. 

The Common Occurrence of Slip and Fall Injuries 
Slip and fall accidents are prevalent and cause significant injuries in the United States. With over one million Americans injured annually, more than 800,000 individuals require hospitalization due to slip and falls. These accidents can happen to customers, pedestrians, and workers alike. 

While some injuries may appear minor initially, they can have long-lasting consequences. Approximately one in five slip and fall injuries is severe, often resulting in broken bones or traumatic brain injuries. Given that victims are typically caught off guard and unable to brace themselves, the impact can be life-altering, with fatal outcomes in the worst cases. 

Understanding Premise Liability 
When a slip and fall occurs on someone else’s property, it typically falls under premise liability. In such cases, the property owner is held liable for inadequate maintenance of walkways or failing to notify customers of potential hazards, such as the absence of caution signs for wet floors. 

Examples of poorly maintained areas that can contribute to slip and falls include: 

• • Stairways lacking handrails or lacking slip-resistant coverings, increasing the risk of trips or falls. 
  • Cluttered walkways with debris or objects obstructing the path. 
  • Insufficient lighting in walkways, rooms, or stairways, impairing visibility and increasing the likelihood of accidents. 
  • Damaged walkways, paths, parking spaces, or driveways with potholes or lack of maintenance. 
  • Failure to remove snow and ice, as well as inadequate post-removal maintenance to prevent slippery conditions. 
  • Absence of danger or caution signs to warn individuals about potential hazards, such as slippery walkways. 

Types of Slip and Fall Accidents 

Slip and fall accidents generally fall into four categories: 

1. 1. Stump-and-fall: This type of accident occurs when there is a sudden obstruction in a pathway, such as a power cord in an aisle. The obstacle may not always be present. 
   2. Slip-and-fall: The most common type of slip and fall accident, which typically happens when someone slips on a wet or greasy floor. 
   3. Trip-and-fall: This type of accident occurs when there should be a clear walkway, but an object obstructs the path, leading to an injury. 
   4. Step-and-fall: Step-and-fall accidents happen when unexpected holes or openings appear in paths or walkways, such as open manholes or missing utility covers on sidewalks. 

Common Types of Slip-and-Fall Injuries 
Slip and fall accidents can result in severe and long-term injuries. It is crucial to seek immediate medical attention after such an incident, even if the injury initially appears minor, as the condition may worsen over time. 

Examples of slip and fall injuries include neck and spine injuries, displaced or twisted hip joints or ankles, arm injuries (such as rotator cuff, elbow, or wrist injuries), concussions or traumatic brain injuries, and back or tailbone injuries. Filing an accident report and documenting the scene with photographs can serve as valuable evidence to support your case and establish the property owner’s negligence. 

For a free, no-obligation consultation, contact Burton & Reardon today at (702) 213-0303. We operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t be responsible for any fees unless we win your slip and fall case.