Slip and fall accidents can turn your world upside down in Encino, CA. Here at JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand that. When you’re hurt because of someone else’s oversight, it’s not just the physical pain. It’s the stress, the bills piling up, and that nagging feeling of unfairness. That’s where we step in.
Our Encino slip and fall accident lawyers aren’t just about legal jargon and courtrooms. We’re about understanding what you’re going through and genuinely wanting to help. It’s our passion to make sure you’re not just heard, but also taken care of, every step of the way.
Why us, you might ask? Well, we’ve been around the block a few times, with 105 years of combined experience. We’re the folks who roll up their sleeves and dive deep into these kinds of cases. Our clients are not just case numbers to us. They’re real people with real stories, and we fight for them.
We’ve managed to pull off some pretty impressive wins, talking hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. Contact us today at 833-852-3600 to set up your free case review.
How JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You Prove Your Encino Slip and Fall Claim
It’s not just about the money. Yes, the money is essential, because you cannot realistically claim victory unless you receive every dime you deserve. But it’s also about standing up for your rights and making sure you’re compensated for the unfair hand you’ve been dealt.
What’s more, our Encino personal injury lawyers don’t charge a dime unless we win compensation for your case. That’s our promise to you. Because at the end of the day, it’s your peace of mind and justice that matter most to us.
Following is an extremely abbreviated list of some of the ways we can help you:
- Interviewing eyewitnesses to your accident;
- Working with expert witnesses to establish your claim;
- Reviewing and analyzing accident reports and medical records;
- Negotiating with insurance adjusters;
- Hiring a slip and fall accident reconstruction expert to demonstrate how the accident occurred;
- Determining your current and future medical expenses; and
- Calculating your lost wages and future diminished earning capacity.
There are probably dozens of more ways we can help you, depending on the factual details of your claim. Contact our law firm serving Encino, California, today to learn more and schedule your free consultation.
Understanding Encino Slip and Fall Accidents
The term “slip and fall accident” is fairly self-explanatory. A slip and fall accident becomes a personal injury claim if it is the consequence of someone else’s misconduct or a defective product.
Slip and fall accidents are incredibly common. In fact, 800,000 Americans visit the hospital every year due to slip and fall accidents, and over 17.000 people die. The cost of the average slip and fall accident is $30,000 to $40,000.
Common Slip and Fall Accident Injuries
Some of the most common slip and fall accident injuries include:
- Bone fractures;
- Head injuries;
- Spinal cord injuries;
- Cuts and abrasions;
- Soft tissue injuries (neck injuries, for example);
- Knee damage; and
- Nerve damage.
Many more types of injuries are common. While death is not an injury, it is such a common and tragic consequence of a slip and fall accident that we couldn’t fail to include it here.
Common Causes of Encino Slip and Fall Accidents
Following is a list of 20 common causes of slip and fall accidents:
- Cluttered or obstructed walkways.
- Walking surfaces littered with construction debris.
- Cracked or buckled sidewalks.
- Grease or oil spills.
- Ice or snow on sidewalks and parking lots.
- Improper footwear (e.g., high heels on slippery surfaces).
- Intoxication
- Texting while walking.
- Ladders or step stools that slip or slide.
- Lack of warning signs.
- Missing handrails on uneven surfaces.
- Loose or missing floorboards.
- Poorly lit stairwells.
- Poorly maintained staircases.
- Potholes or broken floor tiles.
- Puddles or water in restrooms, kitchens, or immediately below roof leaks.
- Sudden changes in flooring texture or level.
- Nails or screws protruding from the floor.
- Unsecured rugs or mats.
- Wet or slippery floors with no warning signs.
These 20 items do little more than scratch the surface of possible causes of slip and fall accidents.
Premises Liability and Encino Slip and Fall Accidents
The owner or operator of premises (land and buildings) is responsible for ensuring that the premises are safe for visitors. If the property owner is inviting people to their property, as a business does by advertising, they must repair or warn of any dangerous conditions on the property. They must also inspect the property for hidden dangers and either repair or warn of anything dangerous they find.
Slip and fall claims based on premises liability typically arise when someone suffers a slip and fall accident at a business establishment. A customer might slip and fall on a wet floor that an employee recently mopped, for example. In such a case, the failure to erect a warning sign (“Caution: Wet Floor”) might result in liability.
Product Liability and Encino Slip and Fall Accidents
Product liability claims arise when someone suffers an injury due to a defective product. A defective product is not the first explanation most people think of when seeking the cause of a slip and fall accident. Nevertheless, they are common culprits. The following defective products can cause slip and fall accidents:
- Floor cleaning products that leave a slippery residue;
- Shoes with slippery soles;
- Flooring materials that fail to provide traction;
- Defective “spill-proof” containers that leak without warning;
- Malfunctioning safety equipment that generates a false sense of security;
- Improperly manufactured stair treads;
- Cleaning equipment that leaves behind moisture or debris;
- Malfunctioning escalators;
- Defective construction materials used to build walkways, stairs, and more; and
- Malfunctioning lighting in stairwells.
Fortunately, it’s possible to win a product liability claim without even proving the defendant was at fault.
Slip and Fall Accidents in the Workplace
A large percentage of slip and fall accidents occur in the workplace. If you suffer a slip and fall accident in the workplace, there are two possible avenues you might follow to seek compensation: a workers’ compensation claim, or an ordinary third-party personal injury lawsuit.
Imagine suffering an accident at a construction site, for example. Depending on the circumstances, you might have no choice but to seek a workers’ compensation claim. The advantage of this approach is that you can win without proving that the defendant (your employer) was at fault. The disadvantage is that your compensation will be very limited.
If you can find a third-party defendant (the construction site owner, for example), you might be able to file an ordinary personal injury lawsuit. You would probably have to prove the defendant was at fault, but you could seek full personal injury damages instead of the meager compensation that a workers’ compensation claim offers.
How To Prove Your Encino Slip and Fall Accident
The evidence you need to prove your slip and fall accident will vary according to the facts of your individual case. Above all, seek medical treatment immediately. Do not delay. Medical records are your most convincing evidence.
Beyond medical records, some of the most common forms of evidence that people use to prove slip and fall claims include:
- Photographs of the accident scene showing the hazard that caused the fall.
- Video surveillance footage capturing the incident.
- Witness statements.
- An incident report filed at the location of the accident.
- Expert testimony on the unsafe conditions.
- Weather reports, if the accident was related to weather conditions like ice or snow.
- Records of previous accidents or complaints at the same location.
- Testimony from the property owner or employees.
- Maintenance records for the property.
- Building inspection reports.
- Documentation of the footwear the victim was wearing at the time of the accident.
- Measurement of the hazard (e.g., depth of a pothole, the height of a raised surface).
- Documentation of lighting conditions at the time of the accident.
- Correspondence with the property owner or manager.
- Statements from first responders or emergency medical personnel.
- Documentation of any warning signs or lack thereof.
- A diary or notes detailing your recovery and rehabilitation.
- Receipts for medical expenses and treatments.
- Employment records, if the accident resulted in lost wages.
- Insurance policy information for the property.
- Lease agreements or property ownership documents.
- Statements regarding your physical condition before the accident.
- Floor plans or blueprints of the accident location.
Documentation of any changes made to the site after the accident might not help you. Unfortunately, you cannot introduce evidence of “subsequent remedial measures” to establish that the condition that injured you was dangerous in the first place. For example, you can’t use the fact that the defendant fixed a broken escalator as evidence that the escalator was dangerous in the first place.
The reason for this rule is that to allow evidence of subsequent remedial measures as evidence of a previous dangerous condition would discourage defendants from fixing dangerous conditions, resulting in more accidents.
Seek a Free, No-Obligation Consultation With an Encino Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer
You might never know how much your slip and fall claim is really worth unless you consult with an experienced Encino slip and fall accident lawyer at JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers. Insurance companies and defendants will take advantage of your lack of knowledge to your detriment. Contact us online or call us to schedule a free initial consultation today.
Our Personal Injury law firm in Encino also provides:
- Encino Bicycle Accident Lawyers
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- Encino Catastrophic Injury Lawyers
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- Encino Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
- Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers in Encino, CA
- Truck Accident Attorneys in Encino, CA
- Wrongful Death Lawyers in Encino
- Encino Personal Injury Lawyers
- Product Liability Attorney in Encino
- Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Encino
- Construction Accident Lawyer Attorney in Encino, CA
Visit Our Injury Law Office in Encino, CA
JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers – Encino Office
16633 Ventura Boulevard 1011,
Encino, CA 91436
Phone: (833) 852-3600
Opening Hours: 24 hours / 7 days a week