Tacoma Slip and Fall Lawyer

Most of the time, a slip and fall is a minor event. However, sometimes a fall is serious and sends you to the emergency room with a broken bone or brain injury.

What happens if your fall took place on someone else’s property? You might be wondering if you have legal options. The best way to know if you have a case is to contact a Tacoma slip and fall lawyer. An experienced attorney, such as one from our team, can investigate what happened. If it turns out the property owner was negligent, you may be eligible to pursue compensation to cover your medical bills.

We’re glad you’ve found our page today and invite you to read on to learn more about how slip and fall cases work in Tacoma, WA. Please know we’re always here to answer questions about your situation, at no cost to you.

Serious Falls are More Common than You Realize

We’ve all taken a fall from time to time. But sometimes, a fall can be serious or even, life-threatening event.

Consider some of these statistics from the National Floor Safety Institute. Do any surprise you?

  • Falls send 8 million people to the emergency room every year, making them the leading cause of all ER visits
  • Falls are the leading cause of worker compensation claims
  • One in three people over the age of 65 will fall every year
  • 40% of nursing room admissions are the result of a fall
  • 22% of all falls resulted in an employee being out of work for 31 days or more

Unfortunately, victims can face significant medical costs after a fall. Plus, the recovery may be weeks, months, or longer.

Tacoma Slip and Fall Lawyer

Understanding Negligence in a Slip and Fall Case

To be sure, not every fall is someone else’s fault. Sometimes we’re not paying attention or being as safe as we should.

So, when is a property owner to blame? Slip and fall cases are part of an area of the law known as premises liability. This area of the law obligates property owners to take reasonable actions to keep their premises safe. Or at the very least, warn guests of potential hazards.

If a property owner fails in this duty, they could be negligent. And if you fall due to their negligence? You may be able to recover compensation.

Here are a few hypothetical examples of negligence in a slip and fall case:

  • Failure to clean up a spill in a timely manner
  • Uneven or unrepaired sidewalks
  • Inadequate lighting in a parking lot
  • Unsafe working conditions
  • Improper maintenance of an escalator or elevator

Of course, every situation is different. As a result, the best way to know if you have a case is to call our team and ask for a free case review.

What if a City is to Blame for my Slip and Fall?

What happens if your fall takes place on a city sidewalk or public area? Now you’re not talking about filing a claim against a private property owner but a municipality. You should know that yes, it is possible to file a claim against a city or the State of Washington in this case. However, there are additional requirements you’ll need to navigate. For this reason, it’s important to work with an attorney who understands these requirements and can help represent you in the process.

If this situation applies to you, you may want to read our posts about the laws regarding dangerous sidewalks in Washington as well as how a lawsuit against a city works.

How Much is My Slip and Fall Case Worth?

We understand that you might want to know the potential value of your case. But there is no simple or quick way to provide this information online without knowing the details of your case.

What we can tell you is that many variables can impact your potential settlement. These could include:

  • Medical bills
  • Severity or permanence of your injuries
  • Impact to your income
  • Your health prior to the fall
  • Impact to your lifestyle
  • Pain and suffering
  • Identity of the at-fault party or parties
  • Willingness of the at-fault party to negotiate in good faith
  • Sources of funds available (typically, insurance policy)
  • If your case ends up going to court
  • Awards in similar cases to yours

Once we’ve gotten to familiarize ourselves with your case, we’ll be in a better position to give you an idea of what we feel your case may be worth.

Are Slip and Fall Cases Hard to Win?

Yes. A slip and fall claim can be complicated to bring forward. As a victim, you must overcome the burden of proof to prevail. This means that you are responsible to show that the property owner’s negligence caused your injury and not anything else. We actually cover this exact topic in greater detail in a post called Are Slip and Fall Cases Hard to Win? We encourage you to take a look to get a deeper understanding of this issue.

Bottom line, you’ll want to make sure you have solid legal representation when it comes to a slip and fall case. At Ladenburg Law, we will only charge you if we’re able to win you a settlement. As a result, you can count on us to be honest if we feel you have a case.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?

As with most personal injury cases, you have only three years to file a slip and fall claim in the state of Washington (RCW 4.16.080).

However, we encourage you to reach out to us as soon as possible after a fall. Property owners may be quick to hide evidence that led to your fall. We like to tell our clients that the sooner they involve us, the better chances we have to win maximum settlements.

Speak with a Tacoma Slip and Fall Attorney

Are you ready to learn more? Ask to speak with a Tacoma slip and fall attorney from our team today. As a reminder, there’s never a cost for an initial case evaluation and we’ll only charge a fee if we’re able to win you compensation.

For the initial consultation, you can visit us at our office, or we can send an attorney to your home or hospital. We’re also able to conduct the consultation virtually. Let us know how we can best assist you when you call.

    Get a Free Case Evaluation