Orlando Slip & Fall Attorney

Slip and Fall Claims

At Maaswinkel Law, P.A., we take slip and fall accidents seriously because we understand how devastating these accidents can be, especially when they happen at nursing homes or in the workplace. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 out of 5 falls causes serious injury.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed by a slip & fall, you may be wondering about the legal options available to you. Maaswinkel Law, P.A. can help you understand your rights and take legal action, if appropriate.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip & fall accidents can happen anywhere, but they are of particular concern at workplaces and nursing homes. The most common causes of slip and fall accidents include:

• Working from heights (ladders, roofs, scaffolding)
• Wet or slippery floors
• Defective floors and flooring materials
• Uneven surfaces
• Snow and ice
• Electrical cords and clutter
• Crowded walkways
• Inadequate lighting
• Poorly constructed staircases (i.e. no handrails)
• Nursing home neglect (inadequate training, improper transfers)

If one of the circumstances above caused you or your loved one to slip, trip, or fall, our Orlando slip & fall lawyers are here to help.

Who Is Liable?

Many of the situations we described in the previous section constitute negligence on behalf of property owners and/or government organizations. If you can prove negligence in settlement negotiations or a court of law, the party in charge of the property may be found liable for your injuries.

For example, if a homeowner fails to clear their driveway of snow and ice during the winter before inviting you over, they may be able to cover the costs associated with your injuries using their homeowner’s insurance. Similarly, businesses with wet or uneven flooring may be responsible for your injuries if you fall while shopping or dining.

Luckily, when it comes to slip & fall claims and premises liability in general, most parties have insurance policies that can help them cover the costs of your accident. Still, insurance companies don’t always have your best interest at heart, so you may need an experienced Orlando slip and fall attorney to help you negotiate.

In some cases, you may also need to make a claim against a government entity or an institution. In nursing homes, for instance, staff owe your loved one an explicit duty of care and can be found liable for violating it. You can also take legal action against government bodies, like those responsible for maintaining sidewalks, but you will have to adhere to strict procedural policies.

Proving Property Owner Negligence

One of the biggest challenges in premises liability cases is proving liability for the injuries sustained. There are many factors of proving liability but generally, the injured party will have to prove:



• that the person whose actions led to the injury (the defendant) owned, leased or occupied the property
• that the defendant was negligent in their use or treatment of the property
• that this negligent behavior was a substantial factor in causing the injuries sustained
  

Third-Party Claims in Workplace Accidents

In some cases there is reason to file a worker’s compensation claim, as well as a third-party claim. A third-party claim can be made against a person, company, or entity whose negligence may have resulted in your injury or accident at work.

Examples of third-party work-related injury claims include:

• Claims related to defective products, such as construction site tools and equipment, warehouse equipment, and more.
• Injuries caused by another driver while you were driving as part of your job.
• Toxic exposure claims
• Claims against negligent government agencies and other entities

No matter the circumstances of your slip & fall accident, Maaswinkel Law, P.A. can guide you through making and resolving a claim. When someone else is negligent, they should be liable for your injuries.

Common Slip and Fall Injuries

Each year, falls cause more than 8 million emergency room visits and slip & fall accidents, specifically, account for at least 1 million visits to the hospital. Fractures are the most serious consequences of falls for people of all ages, but for individuals over 65 falls can be fatal and/or constitute catastrophic injuries. For people over 65, falls are the second leading cause of spinal cord injuries, and overall, falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries.

Common slip and fall injuries include:

• Fractures (broken bones)
• Catastrophic hip injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Temporary and permanent disability
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Phobias (fear of falling)
• Death

Workplace falls are the leading cause of workers’ compensation claims and the leading cause of occupational injury for those aged 55 and older. While fall-related deaths are more common in the construction, mining, and maintenance fields, fatal falls can happen anywhere.

Suffering a slip and fall can change your life, and not necessarily for the better. While our firm cannot change what happened, we can help you secure your future by pursuing maximum compensation.

Our firm will pursue maximum compensation on your behalf. Contact us online or call us  to get started.