Slip and fall accidents can cause lasting damage that makes it impossible to go back to work and pay off bills associated with the accident. They can give rise to lasting mental distress as well. Our Syosset slip and fall lawyer knows that one fall can change your life.
Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere — at the grocery store, the hairdresser’s salon, or the parking lot of your favorite business. You never know when an uneven pavement or a slippery surface could alter your life forever.
If you’ve gotten hurt because a walkway, ramp, or staircase was in poor condition due to negligence, you may need to contact a Syosset slip and fall attorney.
Each case is different, but our team knows exactly how to identify and prove negligence to build a successful claim for you. Call us today at (516) 399-2364 for a free consultation about your case.
Why Choose Our Experienced Slip and Fall Attorneys in Syosset?
DEPEND ON THE EXPERIENCE OF TUCKER LAWYERS
If you need a knowledgeable legal representative in Brooklyn, reach out to Tucker Lawyers. Our accomplished legal team has the specialized experience necessary to win the compensation you need to recover from a slip and fall injury.
Remember: We don’t get paid unless you do, too.
We believe that all victims deserve justice, and we will fight tirelessly to secure the financial compensation that you are owed after your fall. We know that your life can change in an instant, and we want to help you. While you heal, we can handle the details of your injury claim. We will fight to get you all the compensation you deserve after a slip and fall at a Syosset property.
What Should I Do After a Slip and Fall Accident?
GET MEDICAL ATTENTION, STAY CALM, AND CALL A SYOSSET SLIP AND FALL LAWYER
Do a quick assessment to see how badly you are injured. You should stay still and allow others to help you. Call for medical services if necessary. By staying calm, you’ll be better able to explain to the emergency responders what happened.
The next thing you need to do is to make sure that an incident report is written. This will be important if you plan on filing a claim. After you have received the proper medical attention and you are well enough, you should contact a lawyer to see if you can file a legal claim for a slip and fall accident.
Following the proper steps right after a fall can help ensure you’re successful in filing your claim.
DO YOUR BEST TO STAY CALM
You may be hurt, and it’s okay to cry, but try to avoid yelling or making accusations about who was at fault for the accident. You also should avoid making comments about your fall that imply it was somehow your fault. Anything you say after a slip and fall accident can be used to disprove your case.
GET MEDICAL ATTENTION
Don’t be afraid to call 911, especially if you feel dizzy or you’ve hit your head. Soft-tissue injuries and strains or sprains won’t show up right away, but EMS workers are trained to diagnose these properly. Similarly, concussions won’t necessarily be obvious at first, but they can later become serious head injuries.
Remember, if you don’t see a doctor, the insurance company may be able to claim that you weren’t actually hurt or that you weren’t hurt as badly as you claim.
DOCUMENT YOUR CONDITION AND THE SCENE OF THE SLIP AND FALL ACCIDENT
Have a store manager or person in charge fill out an accident report describing the condition of the area in which you fell. They should also take note of the employees who were working at the time. Having the contact information for the business may help our Syosset slip and fall attorney obtain video surveillance tapes. Try to collect contact information for anyone who witnessed your fall. Our lawyer can reach out to them to substantiate your claim.
CONTACT OUR SLIP AND FALL LAWYERS IN SYOSSET, NY
The quicker you contact our slip and fall attorney in Syosset, the easier it will be for us to file a successful claim for damages that will cover the costs of your medical care and other losses.
Am I at Fault for a Slip and Fall?
When determining whether you may have been partially at fault for your slip and fall accident, you must consider the following three things:
- Did the property owner cause the dangerous conditions that led to your fall?
- Did they know about these hazardous conditions but neglect to fix them?
- Would a reasonable person have noticed the issue and fixed it?
A few other factors determine slip and fall liability, such as the length of time the location was potentially dangerous, the nature of the hazard, and the measures required to address it. For instance, it might be unreasonable to expect a property owner to shovel and de-ice walkways and stairs in the middle of a snowstorm.
Courts also consider the property owner’s protocol for inspecting the general area and how the hazard could have been fixed or otherwise remedied before the accident. If the property owner or their staff were made aware of the issue and nothing was done, liability will be more likely to fall on the property owner.
However, there are a few factors that the other party’s insurance company may claim made you at fault for your accident, such as that . . .
- You wore flimsy footwear or unsupportive shoes.
- You were in a hurry.
- You were distracted, perhaps by using your phone.
- You ignored posted signs warning of hazardous conditions.
If any of these situations apply, you may have a harder time proving your claim. However, it is still the responsibility of the property owner to make their store or other property safe for their visitors.
How Our Slip and Fall Lawyers in Syosset, NY, Can Help You
WORKING WITH A SKILLED ATTORNEY CAN INCREASE YOUR COMPENSATION
Our seasoned slip and fall lawyer in Syosset will be able to construct a case for reasonable negligence on your behalf. One challenge that arises in slip and fall cases is that the standard of proof for reasonableness is subjective.
Despite this, however, these claims can be proven through documented records or by showing that no best practices in relation to safety exist. You might also be able to rely on industry standards and OSHA best practices to build your case. If you choose to work with Tucker Lawyers, you’ll be able to feel secure knowing that we will advocate for you aggressively. We take on insurers to secure the best possible settlements. If your case needs to go to court, our skilled litigators will be ready to stand up to the insurance company lawyers attempting to keep you from winning compensation.
What Kinds of Injuries Commonly Result From Slip and Fall Accidents?
Slip and fall accidents may sound relatively harmless, but we regularly see clients whose lives have been upended by these types of incidents. Here, we’ve listed some of the most common injuries that arise in slip and fall cases.
Fractures
Fractures, or broken bones, are a common injury after slip and fall accidents. The human body tends to react to an unexpected fall by bracing for impact, often extending hands or arms to soften the fall, leading to fractures in the wrist, arm, or shoulder. Broken bones vary widely in terms of severity; hairline fractures can heal quickly, while more severe breaks can take months to return to normal.
Sprains and Strains
These injuries happen when ligaments or tendons are stretched beyond their limits. They are common in slip and fall cases because people often twist or turn their bodies as they lose balance. Injuries like these are typically less debilitating than fractures, but they can still be extremely painful and require lengthy recovery periods.
Head Injuries
Head injuries, including concussions, often result from slip and fall accidents, as trauma to the head can easily cause a brain injury. Mild head injuries may heal well with time, but more serious accidents can result in lifelong symptoms. We’ve dealt with clients who have suffered loss of motor function, memory issues, emotional instability, and a host of other serious symptoms related to slip and fall incidents.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can occur if you land on your back or neck when falling. Like brain injuries, the symptoms of issues like these can be extremely debilitating and last for life in severe cases. Spinal injuries often lead to partial or complete paralysis.
Cuts and Abrasions
Cuts and abrasions typically occur when a person makes contact with a rough surface during a fall. These can range from minor scrapes to serious lacerations that may require stitches. While most injuries of this type do not cause long-term symptoms or create a risk of death, we have seen permanent scarring and disfigurement in more serious cases.
Hip Injuries
Falls are a common cause of hip injuries, and these can be very serious in elderly people. This study on hip fracture patients over the age of 65 found that all-cause mortality risk was three times higher in individuals who had suffered hip fractures than in the general population at that age.
Can You File a Lawsuit Following an Accident That Occurred in Someone’s Home?
Most slip and fall lawsuits arise from accidents that occur on business premises. This is because business owners with premises that are open to the public owe their customers a greater duty of care than the average property owner.
However, homeowners in New York also have a legal duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. If the owner or occupier breaches that duty and you slip or fall as a result, you may be entitled to sue for damages. This area of the law is known as premises liability.
Cases like these vary widely when it comes to liability; courts look at a range of circumstances when ascertaining who should take the blame in a given situation. To get a proper idea of whether you might be entitled to file a suit, you’ll have to consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Our Syosset Slip and Fall Lawyer Negotiates with Insurance Companies on Your Behalf
When pursuing a slip and fall injury claim, your attorney isn’t usually dealing directly with the property owner, but rather with their insurance company. Insurers often deny claims or attempt to settle for as little money as possible.
In clear-cut cases of negligence, insurance companies often try to offer a fast settlement. But many slip and fall accident victims require ongoing medical care after the initial diagnosis. All medical bills from your slip and fall injury should be covered under your settlement.
If you settle too soon, the costs of your medical care will end up coming out of your own pocket. Working with our Syosset slip and fall lawyer will help ensure this doesn’t happen.
FAQs about Syosset Slip and Fall Accidents
COMMON QUESTIONS OUR SYOSSET SLIP AND FALL ACCIDENT LAWYERS HEAR FROM CLIENTS
Our Syosset slip and fall accident lawyers are here to answer any questions you may have after a nasty fall. The following are among those we hear from clients most often.
What is the statute of limitations for a slip and fall?
In New York, you have three years from the date of your incident to start claim proceedings. You will generally lose your right to file a lawsuit if you allow this deadline to pass.
How much is my Syosset slip and fall accident settlement worth?
Each case is different, but the average slip and fall case settles for between $10,000 and $50,000. Of course, if you are very badly injured, the amount may be more. If you are found to be partially at fault or if you are not able to prove your case beyond doubt, you could end up with a smaller settlement amount.
How much will a slip and fall lawyer in Syosset cost?
Our lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning we take fees as a portion of winning settlements. We won’t charge you anything until a settlement is reached in your case.
How long will it take to settle my slip and fall case?
Your lawyer may want you to complete your medical treatment before filing a claim to ensure they have an accurate idea of the cost of your medical fees. They’ll also want to ensure you are compensated for any time missed at work. Also, more complex or higher-value claims may take longer to reach a conclusion. So, the time taken to settle slip and fall cases varies widely from one claim to the next.
Get the Help You Need Following a Syosset Slip and Fall Accident
At Tucker Lawyers, we have combined decades of experience in dealing with cases like yours. We know exactly how difficult it can be to have to recover from an accident and have to worry about its financial implications at the same time.
Don’t suffer in silence. Get in touch today to start the process of filing a slip and fall lawsuit.
FOR A FREE CONSULTATION, CONTACT OUR SYOSSET SLIP AND FALL INJURY LAWYERS AT (516) 399-2364.
Managing Attorney John. J. Tucker, Esq.
John has personally handled thousands of clients who were victims of another’s negligence and fights relentlessly for their rights. John enjoys bringing closure to a client’s matter so that the injured party can move forward with their life. His background enables him to evaluate complex liability related claims and bring resolution to claims in a record time frame. [ Attorney Bio ]