If you are walking down the sidewalk and you trip and fall, is someone else at fault? Can you sue them for your injuries? The answers to these and related questions depend on many factors. Read on to learn more about the topic or contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
Many Slip and Fall Accidents Are Just That – Accidents
First and foremost, you should know that, as the name implies, many of the accidents are indeed accidents. It could be an issue of the victim losing their balance, tripping over an obvious crack, or the sidewalk being icy or wet. In these cases, no one would likely be at fault or subject to a personal injury case.
Property Owners Do Have a Responsibility to Keep Their Properties Reasonably Safe
It is important to know that property owners have a legal obligation to protect people on their property from known risks or things they should reasonably know about. One example is a retail store owner who should clean up any potentially dangerous spills as soon as they find out about them. If they neglect to do so within a reasonable amount of time, they can be held liable.
How to Determine if Someone Else Can Be Held Liable for Your Injury
To determine if you have grounds for a personal injury case, you will have to determine if the owner or legally responsible individual knew about the hazard and did nothing about it. Even if they did not know about it, if they should have known about it, then they can be held liable too. Your attorney can help you determine if your case meets the legal obligation of a personal injury case.
You Can Be Partially at Fault and Still Hold Someone Else Accountable
An important factor of California slip and fall law is comparative negligence. This means that another party does not have to be 100% at fault for your accident, and you do not have to be completely blameless in order to be eligible to receive compensation for your damages.
Instead, the at-fault party’s financial responsible – and your financial record – is reduced based on your percentage of fault. For example, if you were 20% at fault, then your recovery would be reduced by 20% from your damages. If your damages were $100,000, then they would be reduced by 20% to $80,000.
What to Do If You Have Suffered an Injury in a Slip and Fall Accident
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident in California, we welcome your call to The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation. We will use this as an opportunity to go over the basics of your case so that we can provide the best possible advice for your case.
