Nothing is as startling as a sudden slip-and-fall accident. Sometimes we dust ourselves off with nothing injured but our sense of dignity, but some falls cause painful and debilitating injuries. According to the CDC, one out of five falls results in serious injuries like fractures or head injuries. Falls are the second most common cause of traumatic brain injuries after car accidents.
If you experienced a preventable slip-and-fall accident due to a property owner’s negligence, it’s important to have skilled representation on your side. Insurance companies commonly dispute slip-and-fall claims or assign a portion of blame to the victim. The Everett slip-and-fall lawyers at the legal team of Wells Trumbull have successfully represented injury victims for decades with a reputation for success. Call the Everett personal injury attorneys at Wells Trumbull today for a free confidential consultation so we can take action on your behalf.
Why Wells Trumbull Is the Right Choice for Your Slip and Fall Attorneys in Everett
Falls are more than embarrassing, they are painful and traumatic when they cause serious harm. The Everett slip and fall attorneys at Wells Trumbull are dedicated to legal advocacy for slip-and-fall victims who are left with the undue burden of expenses from an injury a property owner or business manager could have prevented with reasonable care. We provide the following key advantages in your claim:
- A free consultation and contingency-based payment so we don’t take a fee until we recover your compensation
- Access to the tools and resources of a collaborative team of attorneys and the dedicated attention of a lawyer devoted to your case
- A results-oriented approach that prepares every case for trial to put strength behind our negotiations for a settlement
- An attorney who takes the time to get to know you and gain an understanding of the full impacts of your injury to make the most compelling case for your compensation
- Decades of experience in Washington injury law, including a lead slip and fall attorney in Everett navigating injury claims since 1989
The law firm of Wells Trumbull achieves results include recent wins in slip-and-fall cases that include a $3 million jury verdict for a client who fell while working in a nursing home, and $1.2 million for a client who had a slip-and-fall accident in a slippery parking lot.
Common Causes of Slip-and-Fall Accidents in Everett
Elderly people are the most common victims of serious fall injuries, but a bad fall can cause harm at any age. Slip-and-fall injuries most often result from the following hazards:
- Slick or wet floor surfaces
- Loose or cracked floorboards
- Uneven surfaces in parking lots, sidewalks, or walkways
- Icy steps or walkways
- Loose carpets or floor mats
- Debris on the floor
- Unmarked floor-level changes (step-downs or step-ups)
- Inadequate lighting
- Cluttered floor surfaces
- Dangling power cords
Property owners and business managers must take reasonable actions to prevent harm to those lawfully on their property, including identifying slip-and-fall hazards and promptly addressing them with warning signs and repairs.
What Types of Injuries Result From Slip-and-Fall Accidents?
When we lose our footing due to a slippery or uneven surface or by tripping over a badly placed item, the force of the fall, the harsh twisting of the body on the way down, and hitting hard obstacles all cause injuries. Fall victims often experience one or more of the following injuries:
- Fractures, including of the limbs, back, or hips
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
- Knee injuries
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Ankle injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Soft tissue damage like sprains or torn ligaments
- Facial or dental injuries
Injuries quickly become expensive. For many injury victims, a single missed paycheck and a large emergency room bill cause significant financial hardship. Some injuries result in temporary or permanent disability and require surgery and rehabilitation.
When a business manager or property owner fails to take the measures a reasonable person would have under the same circumstances and the result was a slip-and-fall accident with economic and non-economic damages to the victim, the property owner’s liability insurance must cover the damages.
Common Damages in Washington Slip-and-Fall Cases
With a skilled slip and fall attorney in Everett on your side to investigate all aspects of your fall, document evidence of liability, and negotiate with the property owner’s insurer, your claim could result in compensation for any or all of the following damages:
- Medical costs and future medical expenses for further care
- Income loss
- Lowered future earning capacity due to disability caused by the fall
- Pain and suffering
- Any other non-economic damages that might apply, such as loss of enjoyment of life or compensation for disfigurement
Financial compensation helps slip-and-fall victims move forward with the best medical care available and fewer financial worries. Your Everett slip and fall lawyer from Wells Trumbull will carefully calculate your damages to maximize the compensation available to you in your claim.
Liability in Slip-and-Fall Cases
Proving a property owner, lease-holder, or manager liable for a slip-and-fall victim’s damages requires proving that the owner knew of the fall hazard’s existence and failed to take action to prevent injuries from occurring to those lawfully on the property. Your Everett slip and fall attorney from Wells Trumbull must document evidence of the following:
- That the property owner had a duty of care to you and others on the property to take reasonable actions to prevent injuries
- They breached this duty of care through negligence
- Their breach of duty is what caused the slip-and-fall accident and injuries
- The injury victim suffered significant damages from the injury
A skilled slip and fall lawyer in Everett ensures they document ample evidence of liability, sends a demand letter with a list of the victim’s damages to the insurance company, and then begins negotiations for a settlement.
Do I Have to Go to Court for a Slip and Fall Claim in Washington?
Close to 95% of slip-and-fall accidents are resolved with a settlement, especially when an experienced slip and fall attorney in Everett makes a compelling case for an injury victim’s damages. Less commonly, insurance adjusters assigned to the case dispute the claim, cause endless delays, or offer lowball settlements despite negotiations. In that case, your slip and fall lawyer from Wells Trumbull will advance your case to a lawsuit filed within the state’s three-year statute of limitations.
Call the Everett Slip and Fall Lawyers Who Can Help You Win Your Case
If you were injured due to a fall on someone else’s property and the fall could have been prevented with reasonable measures, you have a strong case for compensation. Let the lawyers at Wells Trumbull navigate the complexities of your legal action while you focus on recovering. Contact Wells Trumbull today so we can evaluate your case and take prompt action.