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SLIP
AND FALL CASES (FALL DOWN ACCIDENTS) Except for automobile accidents, slip and fall accidents claim more victims that any other type of accident, in excess of 12,000 deaths per year and increasing. Furthermore, falls cause hundreds of thousands of injuries yearly. There are many places where a fall may occur such as a slippery floor surface, stairways, defectively maintained sidewalks, streets, lawns or playing fields, ramps, balconies or landings, parking lots, public facilities, auditoriums, shower or bath tub and so on. If a fall is the result of another party’s negligence and an injury occurs, the injured party may bring a claim against the responsible party. The law provides that a successful claim may recover medical expenses, lost wages and reasonable compensation for “pain and suffering.” The responsible party will be found negligent if there was a failure to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances, failure to correct a dangerous condition or otherwise failure to act reasonably under the circumstances. Not all falls involve negligence. Our courts have stated that others are not insurer’s of our own safety. We still have a personal responsibility to be careful and alert in our activities. Furthermore there have been cases where negligence was present but the injury was too minor to justify legal action. If you or a member of your family has sustained an injury as a result of a fall and you have any question about the accident, your injuries or your legal rights, you may call the number listed below for a personal free consultation. LEGAL TIPS 1. If you are injured in a fall, report it to the property owner or another responsible person as soon as possible. A police report may be advisable. 2. Obtain the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all witnesses to the fall, as well as the name of the responsible person(s) or their employers. 3. As soon as possible, have the area where you fell examined for foreign objects, defects or other conditions. Photographs if they can be obtained will be helpful. Ó 2000 James
W. Pearson, Jr., All Rights Reserved FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CALL THE TOLL FREE HELP LINE 1-800-232-1477 E-mail: lawyer@lawwalk.com JAMES
W. PEARSON, JR. Chair of the Federal & State Credit Union Department & Coordinator of legal consultations under the Family Legal Care Plans offered to credit union members. |
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